For a great summer gathering, Compo’s South Beach is almost perfect.
The long swath of sand from the cannons to the kayak launch is filled with grills and picnic tables. Sunsets are gorgeous.
All we’re missing are fire pits.
Ta da!
Tomorrow night, the Parks & Recreation Commission hears a request from the Parks & Rec Department to offer fire pit rentals there, from May 1 through September 30.
A portable fire pit. This may not be the type our Parks & Recreation Department buys. And this sure is not a beach scene.
“It’s a natural addition to the amenities there,” explains Carmen Roda, Parks & Rec operations manager.
Two portable fire pits would be available to residents by reservation 7 days a week, from 4 to 10 p.m.
Users will be responsible for providing the wood (no pellets!) and starters.
Beach staff will monitor usage. At 10 p.m. they’ll cool the fire pits down, load them on golf carts, and store them securely.
Fire marshal Terry Dunn and the Westport Police Department were consulted, and support the initiative. Parks & Rec employees will be trained in fire pit usage.
The proposed fee is $150 a night.
(The Parks & Recreation Commission meeting is tomorrow — Wednesday, March 19 — at 7:30 p.m., via Zoom. The agenda also includes updates on the Parks Master Plan and Longshore Improvement Master Plan, and reports from the Golf, Racquets and Parks Advisory Committees.)
