Group looking to build war memorial concerned about needles on Cape Breton beach

Littered needles impact building of war memorial People are hoping to turn an area in Sydney Mines into a war memorial park, but the beach is littered with needles.

The discarded needles that are showing up at a popular Cape Breton beach may have an effect on plans to build a war memorial in the area.

On Sunday, CTV News found at least five syringes in the grass near the parking lot at Lochman's Beach in Sydney Mines.

No one will say exactly where the needles are coming from, but similar discoveries are a common in the area.

A Second World War era battery site still stands near Lochman's Beach, and those hoping to turn the site into a memorial park say it would be a shame if the littering can't be stopped.

"It would be a terrible thing to have happen, so we have to build it into our planning,” says Brian Ferguson of the Sydney Mines tourism development society.

"It’s a very high priority, because nobody wants that kind of thing happening. We have young children coming here in the summer; it's a very popular spot,” says Cyril Aker. "We think it's got great potential, and we want to share it with the rest of the country and the world.”

Area councillor Clarence Prince agrees that the memorial park has real potential. He says the city is willing to look at finding solutions to the pollution problem.

"We will work with public works and with the police, and with everybody, and promote cleanliness among the public to keep it clean,” says Prince. "It's too beautiful a site to have it all messed up."

The park proponents plan to build fencing and hire security, if the project gets off the ground.

A public cleanup of the beach is planned for May 6.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ryan MacDonald