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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The GNWT is moving ahead with measures to improve public safety at Long Lake Beach a month after the tragic drowning of seven-year-old Lodune Shelley.

A photo of an existing lifejacket kiosk in Gregoire Lake Provincial Park, Alta., taken in 2011. Trevor Kasteel is partnering with the GNWT to build a similar structure made out of steel, to be put on Fred Henne Beach in September, but lifejackets will be available as early as the August long weekend. - photo courtesy of Lifesaving Society of Alberta and NWT

Beginning in August, the GNWT will be providing lifejackets, which can be borrowed for free at the popular territorial beach as part of a pilot project that is running in partnership with the Lifesaving Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories (Lifesaving Society).

The GNWT project is receiving a helping hand from Yellowknife businessman Trevor Kasteel, who has offered to build the kiosk free of charge.

"Pressure is a good thing in a positive way. As long as you do it in a positive manner, you can end up working with the organizations to get a resolution quickly," said Kasteel. "Anything that is going to make that beach safer is good."

Kasteel had previously expressed outrage toward the GNWT and the city for their response to the public's call for lifeguards in the wake of the drowning. As a result, he had planned to build lifeguard chairs and install them on the beach to send a message that this was service that was expected from the public.

"To be honest, the frustration on my part was more pointed towards myself than it was to anybody else because of what I myself witnessed on the beach last summer," said Kasteel, who was on the beach when a young girl had to be resuscitated after nearly drowning there last July. "So I take ownership with that."

The GNWT has since reached out to Kasteel and has asked him to help build the lifejacket kiosk at the beach rather than proceeding with building the lifeguard chairs.

"Whatever we're going to do, we need to do it right, but we also need to act quickly," said Kasteel. "And I honestly do believe they have this in the forefront and that they are doing this quickly."

David Ramsay, minister for the department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, said community supports has been amazing.

"We want to thank the citizens and businesses who have come forward to express their wish to help with initiatives such as the pilot of the lifejacket loaner station program."

Kasteel also met with Barbara Costache, chief administrative officer with the Lifesaving Society, while she was in Yellowknife to conduct an audit of the beach.

Kasteel said speaking with the GNWT and the society has helped him better understand some of the factors that need to be taken into consideration when trying to make the beach safer, including why the drop offs can't be filled and why lifeguard chairs might present an added danger.

"They are the experts, I'm not the expert," said Kasteel. "I'm not going to be as egotistical to say 'look, here's what you need to do.'"

Although the audit will not be completed until the end of August, the GNWT will begin the lifejacket lending project while it waits for the final report to come out.

Kasteel said it is unlikely he will be able complete the construction of the kiosk before the beginning of September.

However, according to Alayna Ward, manager of public affairs and communications for ITI, the GNWT plans to begin offering the lifejackets by the August long weekend.

"The thing to stress is that they are looking at doing things while that report is in the works, and this is evidence of one of them," said Kasteel.

The idea to set up the kiosks, which are widespread throughout provincial parks in Alberta, was suggested to the department by Costache during her visit to Yellowknife.

To support the program, the Lifesaving Society will donate an initial inventory of up to 30 children's size jackets, educational materials and signage, and comment boxes.

According to Ward, the kiosks will be run on the same model as those in Alberta.

"It's going to be on first-come, first-serve basis and it's going to be done on an honour system," said Ward, adding there would be no one to supervise the kiosks.

During conversations with Costache, Kasteel was told kiosks in Alberta lose between 15 and 25 per cent of their inventory over the course of the summer. However, Ward said that having people steal the lifejackets was not a concern for the department.

"If they are taking them then at least they will be safe," said Ward of the possibility of thefts.

Based on concerns that the kiosk would be susceptible to vandalism, Kasteel plans to build the structure out of steel rather than wood. According to Kasteel, the kiosk will also include a door, which can be locked up by a park ranger every night in order to prevent theft and vandalism.

Kasteel said he is pleased with the current compromise, but that he will continue to do whatever it takes to make sure the beach is as safe as possible.

"It's a positive step but I'm not going to take my foot off the pedal," said Kasteel. "It's not about me, it's about Lodune. It's about the future kids and the safety of the water."

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