1st Selectman Jim Marpe says:
Tomorrow we reopen the Compo Beach and Soundview parking lots at 50 percent capacity, for Westporters and Westonites with valid 2020 beach emblems. The golf course at Longshore Park will be open as well, with restrictions in place.
I’m excited that you’ll have more opportunity for being outdoors, and for enjoying our wonderful parks and beaches.
But for the reopening of our beaches and golf course to succeed, caution and mutual respect are essential.
Key requirements related to the reopening of our beaches will help keep everyone as safe and healthy as possible. Following these recommendations is imperative so that the state’s rules for social distancing and limiting group sizes are implemented.
Even at the beach, you must maintain at least 6 feet of distance from others who are not members of your immediate household. Face coverings are required if you are in a position where you are not able to socially distance. You should have a mask ready.
A typical scene recently: Compo Beach being groomed for a new season. The rules will be different though, when the parking lots open tomorrow. (Photo/Karen Como)
Be aware that beach capacity will be limited to 50 percent of the parking lot capacity.
Parks & Recreation staff will control traffic at the parking lot gates, so you may be denied admission into the lots when you get there. We will have signage at key locations on the approaches to Compo Beach to warn you of this before you arrive at the beach. You may have to make alternate plans, return at a later time, or visit on another day.
You may bring your own umbrellas, chairs, blankets and towels, and enjoy the beach. However, please leave tents, pop-ups, Frisbees and sports equipment at home. We are not allowing any type of activity that has the potential for people encroaching on others.
The playground, basketball courts, skate park, volleyball courts, pickleball courts and softball field remain closed. Port-a-johns will be available, and held to a stringent cleaning and sanitization protocol by our Parks maintenance staff.
There are no tables available in any location. Grills have been removed, and bringing your own grill is not permitted. All of this is being done in an effort to limit gatherings.
Tables and grills have been removed from Compo Beach. (Photo/Dan Woog)
These restrictions may be changed over time based on guidance from the governor, federal, state and local authorities, as well as community compliance and experience. We ask for your patience and adherence to the established rules.
Over the past several weeks, Longshore Club Park has been heavily used by walkers, joggers, cyclists and others. With the golf course open, these types of activities, even along the roadways, pose additional safety concerns from errant golf balls. For your safety, please take part in these types of activities at other locations. In addition, starting tomorrow, a valid 2020 beach emblem is required for parking in some Longshore Club Park lots.
Our top priority is the health and safety of our residents. A good rule of thumb: Act in public as if you have the virus, and that anyone you encounter has it too. We request that you follow the rules and guidelines closely. Remember that everyone in town is relying on your compliance. Strict adherence to social distancing and face covering requirements is imperative if we are to keep the beaches and golf course open.
During these unusual times we need to work together to ensure the health and safety of our community, as well as to ensure that the effort to reopen our parks and beaches is successful.
Thank you for your cooperation.
It will be great to have these options open for our sanity and I thank the town officials for trusting in the citizens here. I ask that everyone just be thoughtful, kind and considerate. If the beach is full, turn around and go somewhere else to get fresh air and come back later. Bring your masks for times where you will be near other groups. Be respectful of people’s space and don’t congregate as large groups no matter how tempting it is (there’s nothing I want more than to get together with a bunch of families for a big picnic and let my kids run with their friends, but not yet). Please do this both for our safety as well as our ability to continue to use these resources going forward.
I really hope walkers and joggers and cyclists will wear masks on the sidewalks that lead down to the beach. So far, very few do that (maybe 1/4-1/3) and it’s scary for everyone.
We have been having a problem getting a beach parking sticker. Pl respond
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Longshore should have been a park this summer, with no golf allowed. With so many people home, and the nice weather here for six months, it is really dumb to have only 72 people, at absolute maximum (18 holes/4 people a hole), be allowed to enjoy the course from 6 a.m. to dusk. And when the weather gets hot there won’t even be that many people there. With the pool and tennis courts very likely closed for the season the whole of Longshore should simply have been open space for residents. And while I don’t play much golf anymore, I used to play there every weekend. Westporters deserved better.
please people, be kind, patient, respectful.. wear a mask to respect others.. Let’s not make it into the NY times again for nasty, obnoxious, privilege behaviour… be respectful, so the beach doesn’t get shit down… let’s be a positive, inspiring story for other towns etc…
I agree 100% with the comment about the golf course at Longshore. This space should be usable to more, rather than fewer people in town, especially since the beach is at 50% capacity, there are no other sports allowed, there is no YMCA and the open space left in Westport is quite limited. To make such a large area usable by just a few golfers is not a good decision in the best interests of the whole Westport community. Disappointing!