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Repeated vandalism at Heather Beach Provincial Park in Cumberland County has led Nova Scotia’s Department of Natural Resources to remove accessibility mats for the rest of the 2026 season.
In an interview with CBC’s Information Morning on Tuesday, Natural Resources’ regional director for the area said vandals recently ripped up the bright blue mats that help people in wheelchairs access the beach.
“We secure them to the ground with some large aluminum spikes. So [the vandals] took some of these spikes and they drove them into the walls of our buildings,” Reg Delorey said.
Delorey said vandals also nailed doors to buildings at the beach shut “so we couldn’t get into them.” He said the vandalism started with the lifeguard chair being moved around and it escalated once the chair was chained in place.
He said the RCMP were notified but the vandals haven’t been caught.
The RCMP confirmed to CBC News in an email that they are investigating the matter.
The integrity of the mats has been compromised because they were torn up, Delorey said.
The Municipality of Cumberland made an announcement about the accessibility mats in July 2019. (Municipality of Cumberland/Facebook)
“We can’t really use them anymore … we had two mats, they’re both destroyed,” he said.
Delorey said the mats, even though they were at a provincial park, were actually the property of the Municipality of Cumberland.
He said the mobility chairs at the beach are safe.
While the lifeguard season is coming to an end, Delorey said the accessibility mats would usually be left out until mid- or late September depending on the weather.
He said the department will have to talk to the county about replacing the mats for next year.
When asked whether there had previously been vandalism like this at Heather Beach, Delorey said no, but added there have been reports at other beaches on the North Shore.
“We have it all over the province. We have vandals or we have people get together some night and burn picnic tables on the beach for firewood. It happens. But nothing of late at this level,” Delorey said.
Anyone with information on the vandalism can share tips directly with the RCMP or through Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers.
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