WHATELY — Residents who frequent the Tri-Town Beach during the hot summer months will have to find a new place to relax this year.
The beach, which would normally have opened later this month, will be closed throughout the summer, according to Sue Monahan, a Whately commissioner of the Tri-Town Beach Commission.
This is due, in part, to facility requirements the beach would need to meet in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the guidelines for opening beaches, she said. That would include updating its bathhouses and installing hand-washing stations.
“The size of our beach and the funds we run on are so minimal, it really wasn’t a feasible decision,” Monahan said.
She also said a number of the day camps that come every year have already told the commission they won’t be coming this summer.
“They were a major part of our daily numbers,” she said.
The decision to keep the beach closed was made by a unanimous vote at the May 21 commission meeting.
“We just didn’t think we’d be able to sell enough passes,” Monahan explained. “We all agreed there wouldn’t be a huge demand, as our numbers have dwindled a lot the last couple years.”
While the beach is closed, the Tri-Town Beach Commission will continue regular maintenance.
“The last couple years we’ve had a seaweed problem, so we’re going to try to stay on top of that,” Monahan said.
She said there are also some fences that need to be fixed and picnic tables that need to be replaced.
“We’ll continue to mow and keep everything maintained,” she said.
“So next season, we should be ready to roll.”