Photo by Lester Smith
Julian Golden, 6, and his uncle, Dylan True, 11, pose with their winning sand castle at Babb’s Beach on July 19. Mother Michelle Golden and Grandmother Kimberly Goldern are sitting nearby.
Babb’s beach and park opened officially on June 24 after a tremendous beautification endeavor to refurbish the location. Patrons were able to enjoy the park and beach, free of charge for the first week, with many positive comments about how wonderful it was to have the park open once again. The Parks and Recreation department provided gate attendant staff, available to greet and assist visitors while collecting data on daily attendance. During the weekend leading up to the Fourth of July holiday, attendance statistics demonstrated that there were more non-residents utilizing the park. Staff reported that the park encountered many issues with trash, alcohol, and overall disrespect for the property.
The First Selectwoman, with input from the Chief of Police and Parks & Recreation Director, implemented a plan that went into effect July 7 charging non-residents a fee of $20.00 per car up to six people and $5.00 for every additional person. During the month of July, the daily collection of data has demonstrated that now more residents are using the beach and park and the nonresidents are still attending with a slight decline in visitation.
There have been several special events held at Babb’s this summer including an Open House hosted by the Parks and Recreation Commission, a Teen Beach Party sponsored by the Kent Memorial Library Teen Council, a Chill with a Cop hosted by the Police Department and Sunday afternoon concerts hosted by the Citizens Restoring Congamond.
It has been exciting to see this beautiful town park come back to life after more than 15 years of inactivity. The Town plans to continue making improvements to this community asset and invite you to visit Babb’s Beach.