On Thursday the Parks & Rec Dept proposed to the new Board of Selectmen – Fred Camillo, Lauren Rabin and Jill Oberlander – a series of fee hikes for use of beaches, parks, ferries, tennis, ice rink and summer camps.
The list of services is 19 pages long and there are many fees. Most of them will not increase.
Non residents can purchase single entry passes in person at the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center, May 1 through Oct 31 (M-F 9am to 6pm) or the Western Greenwich Civic Centers May 1 through Sept 30 (M-F 9am to 6pm). They are nonrefundable and are only valid for one season. What’s not used by the end of the summer simply expire.
More good news. For residents is the cost of a seasonal “beach pass” is proposed to remain at $35 for adults and $7 for children.
What will increase? A single-entry pass for residents who do not purchase a seasonal pass would increase from $7 to $8 per person.
This is also the pass residents purchase to bring a guest to the beach.
Residents have the ability to purchase the single entry passes online! Simply print them out and present them at the gate.
The town is not issuing stickers for the 2020 beach season. Your vehicle details are in the bar code on your beach pass.
For Greenwich registered vehicles it remains free to park!
For non-Greenwich registered vehicles, the price to park for one visit, if approved, will jump from $35 to $40.
No passes are required from November through April at Tod’s Point or Byram Park.
Greenwich Pool at Byram Park. July 2018. Photo: Leslie Yager
ByramPool
When the Byram Pool opened, the cost for everyone’s seasonal pass jumped from $33 to $35 for the pool, whether they used it or not.
While that is proposed to remain the same in 2020. The fee for a pool guest day pass is proposed to rise from $8.00 t0 $9.00.
Beach parking fees (Tod’s Point and Byram Park).
When the program started for non resident vehicles in 2001, the fee was initially $100. There was an increase since then to $125. Last summer the fee was $150. For summer 2020 the proposed fee reflects a $25 increase to $175 a vehicle.
And, new for 2020, is a “child accompaniment fee” of $35.00. This is for babysitters who don’t have a beach pass.
Parks & Rec Director Joe Siciliano has said his department tries not to adjust the beach fee annually. He said they try to keep price adjustments minor.
Parks & Rec aims to be inclusive, and working through social services they identify residents who are financially struggling, and offer them assistance for park passes. They also have a separate scholarship fund that provides full or partial scholarships to families or individuals with needs for specific program activities. They distribute hundreds of free beach passes to residents who are screened through social services.
Waiting for the ferry at Island Beach. August 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager
Ferries at the Arch Street dock in Greenwich. August 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager
Ferries
Ferry fares for seasonal card holders (adults 16-64) is proposed to remain $6.00, and $13 for a daily pass holder.
Just a few of the other proposed fee increases include:
Camp Kairphree will increase $5.00 from $290 to $295 for the first child per session (and for second child from $270 to $275) if you register by May 31.
The Town facility rentals fee for OGRCC at Eastern Greenwich Civic Center is proposed to rise from $2,250 a month to $2,300 a month.
The fee for Greenwich Green & Clean’s rental space at the Yantorno Community Center in Pemberwick would rise from $475 to $500 a month.
At Hamill Rink, admission for general skating is not proposed to increase, but ice skate rental would go from $4.00 to $5.00 per pair.
There are proposed increases to fees to rent Bruce Park ($225 to $250), Byram Park ($200 to $225 without parking) or Pinetum Park ($225 to $250).
The fee to hang a banner across Greenwich Ave (non-profits) would rise from $250 to $300, plus overtime labor costs.
Clambake permits for Greenwich Point would rise from $250 to $275.
The full schedule of proposed changes can be found on the town website, click here.
Parks & Rec will accept reservations for residents seeking picnic and overnight camping permits for the 2020 Season on Tuesday, January 21, 2020, at 8:00am in the Cone Conference Room, 2nd Floor of Town Hall. Get there early. First come, first serve.