Having lived on the Naramata Bench for a number of years, we are fully familiar with Three Mile Beach. It was one of the reasons we bought the property on the corner of Poplar Grove Road and Naramata Road.
While living there we used the beach almost every day in the summer months, it was special.
You met neighbours and also many families with children and dogs. All dogs were off leash and everyone was considerate to each other, you don’t allow a large dog to sniff and bother young children, etc. you then would put it on the leash – nowadays people need an “on leash sign“ to do this.
At the same time, being close to a beach was one of the things that influenced us to buy our property on the bench, well aware that prices were much higher than other areas in Penticton. We were also aware that further down towards the north end of the beach there were supposed nudists, this did not bother us because they were far in the distance out of sight at that time. Coming from Europe we are used to this. In parts of Europe nude beaches are allowed, here in Canada they are not, this according to Section 174 of the Criminal Code of Canada.
There is only one nude beach that I am aware of: Wreck Beach by UBC in Vancouver.
The land owner of the nudist beach at Three Mile Road, who has fenced off his property, is fully in his right to do so.
Would you want to own expensive lakefront property in Penticton and have a bunch of nudists using it? However, at Three Mile Beach these nudists are using the only little stretch of sandy beach available on Three Mile Beach – is that fair?
Nudism is not allowed in B.C. How would Penticton like it if all of the sandy beaches along Lakeshore Drive and Marina Way was full of nudists? What would happen? Of course the police would be right there and make them leave. This would also not be good for the tourist trade of Penticton. The same thing should happen at Three Mile Beach, it is a public family beach and not a nudist beach! It is illegal to lie nude on a beach if this bothers other people.
To the mayor and council this should be a no brainer.
It is illegal and the nudists should find a more secluded beach where they cannot be viewed from other neighboring property owners or public visitors.
Margret & Hans Karow
Summerland