Wednesday, September 12, 2012
The Barrington Town Council rescinded the $10 fee for seniors amid a debate over whether anyone should pay to use the beach.
The $10 Barrington Beach fee for seniors has been rescinded. The Town Council voted 4-0 with one abstention Monday night to rescind the fee that was established last spring. The decision came after a rather lengthy discussion on two questions: Should everyone be required to pay for using the beach? Or should no one pay? Councilor Kate Weymouth, who abstained from voting, said everyone who benefits from the beach should pay something or nobody should pay a fee. “There is an up-charge on everyone else,” she said, if one group is exempt. Weymouth also said she wanted to wait to vote on the senior fee until after a new recreation director is in place. He or she might have some opinion on it, Weymouth said. “We all pay taxes,” said Town …
Monday, September 3, 2012
After today, Barrington Beach will be closed for the season; you can still use the beach but swimming and other water uses will be unprotected.
Barrington Beach closes for the season after 5 pm today -- Labor Day. There will be no more lifeguards or staff at the beach until next Memorial Day, 2013. You can still use the beach, but it will be unprotected for swimming or other water uses. The new bathhouse will be shut down for the season. A decision on keeping the bathrooms open until cooler weather arrives had not been made as of last Friday.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
The 'Sandy Toes 5K' to benefit the Bayside YMCA in Barrington has been cancelled; it was scheduled for Sunday morning.
The “Sandy Toes 5K” race scheduled for Barrington Beach on Sunday morning, Aug. 26, has been cancelled. Do not go to the beach to run. You might be the only one there. Do not go to Nayatt School, where participants could go to be shuttled to the beach. Gary Menissian, of Ocean State Multisport in East Providence, who was planning the road race to benefit the Bayside YMCA, said only about nine runners had signed up in advance. They have been contacted about the cancellation and their money will be refunded, he said. YMCA officials also told him that the road race could not be accommodated in their summer schedules at this time, Menissian said. So, he cancelled the race this week. “I will try to reschedule the race for the fall,” Menissian …
The Beach Boys tribute band, 'The Driftwoods', return to Barrington Beach at 6 pm Saturday, to end the summer concert series.
The weather forecast looks good. So, grab a blanket or some chairs and head on over to Barrington Beach tonight, Aug. 25, for a concert by the Beach Boys tribute band, “The Driftwoods.” The concert starts at 6 pm. Bring a picnic basket and a sweater or sweatshirt as well. It can get cool at night on the beach. The band’s return appearance to Barrington was to have been last Saturday evening. But it got busted by rain. The concert was rescheduled for today instead of being moved to the Barrington Middle School auditorium – the backup location for the summer concert series. “I just didn’t feel like the middle school auditorium was the appropriate place for this band,” said John Taylor, recreation director. The band will set up on risers in …
Friday, August 10, 2012
The Recreation Department and the Astronomical Society of Southern New England host a night of star-gazing tonight, Aug. 10, at Barrington Beach -- if the weather cooperates.
If the weather cooperates, you will be able to gaze at the summer stars at Barrington Beach tonight, Aug. 10. The Barrington Recreation Department is teaming up with the Astronomical Society of Southern New England (ASSNE) for a night of family star-gazing at the beach. You can watch the stars from 7:30 pm to approximately 10 pm on what will be a moonless night – perfect for star-gazing. Friday’s forecast is for the possibility of thundershowers, though. Clouds would hide the stars, and thunder and lightning would chase you from the beach. So stay tuned. You will need to bring beach chairs, blankets, snacks and friends, said Katie Grove, the summer intern in charge of events. “The ASSNE will be providing multiple telescopes for viewing the…
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
The Barrington Town Council tells senior advocate Susan Tucker that nothing will change this summer.
Barrington’s senior beach pass fee will remain in effect this year. Next summer? Who knows? The Town Council told Susan Tucker of Barrington, an advocate for allowing seniors to use the beach for free, that nothing would change this year. “This year is done,” said Town Council President June Speakman at its Monday night meeting. “I think it would be a nightmare to rescind now, and give back the fees,” added Councilor Kate Weymouth. The $10 senior fee was tacked on a separate request from the Parks and Recreation Commission to raise the fee for everyone else from $20 to $30 this year. Councilor Jeff Brenner recommended the fee after hearing the request from the recreation commission for more money to help finance new programs at the beach. …
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
The Barrington Recreation Department is hosting a free party at Barrington Beach on July 13 from 8 to 10 pm.
The Recreation Department hosts a free Teen Beach Party Friday evening, July 13, at Barrington Beach. Teens ages 13 to 19 from Barrington only are invited. The free party runs from 8 to 10 pm. A host of activities and plenty of music are planned, according to John Taylor, recreation director. Music will be provided by the HOT 106 music truck. Here’s a list of some of the activities: Ice cream from Newport Creamery will be served. So will s’mores made at a fire pit. You can win concert tickets from 92 PRO-FM.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Bayside YMCA in Barrington gets an OK from the Parks and Recreation Commission to run a 5K on the beach; Town Council is the next hurdle.
Imagine a 5K road race at low tide on Barrington Beach. It could happen. The Bayside YMCA got the approval it needed for the race from the Parks & Recreation Commission on Monday night, July 2. Now the race organizers will go before the Town Council to plead its case. Two representatives from the YMCA said the race will be run early in the morning on Sunday, Aug. 26. The race is expected to be history by the time most beach-goers drop down their towels or blankets. The beach will not be closed. The race will start west of the entrance to the beach at Bay Road. It will go west for about 1.5 miles and swing around orange plastic cones to return to the finish line at the starting point. Vans will shuttle runners to the beach from the YMCA to …
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Barrington has never sanctioned a fireworks display; town officials ask you to leave your fireworks at home if you go to Barrington Beach tonight or Wednesday to celebrate the Fourth of July.
Leave your fireworks at home if you plan to celebrate the Fourth of July on Barrington Beach. “Out of respect for everyone using the beach,” said Town Manager Peter DeAngelis Jr., “we ask you to refrain from using fireworks on the beach.” The town has never sanctioned a fireworks display, DeAngelis said. But it has no problem leaving the beach open an hour or so later on the Fourth of July so anyone who wants to watch fireworks displays across the bay can do so. The beach normally closes at 9 pm. The Barrington Police Department will be watching with additional patrols deployed on the Fourth of July, said Police Chief John LaCross. Patrol officers will be asked “to use discretion” when confronting anyone on the beach with fireworks. But …
Saturday, June 23, 2012
The Recreation Department holds a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the new batthouse at Barrington Beach; only a handful of people show up.
The new bathhouse at Barrington Beach – criticized often during the process of getting Town Council approval -- was opened officially with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday morning, June 23. Only a handful of people showed up for the Recreation Department-sponsored ceremony in muggy and overcast conditions. But town officials, including Recreation Director John Taylor, Town Manager Peter DeAngelis Jr. and Town Council President June Speakman, tried to make the best of the situation. Taylor got the honor of officially opening the bathhouse by cutting crepe paper ribbons at the entrance to the bathhouse. DeAngelis said that despite the criticism of the project and the lack of support from the Parks and Recreation Commission and the split…
In the moment
7:33 am on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Amen on all comments above. Is there a state oversight committee that we could call in to help the TC more clearly understand the RI Laws on affordable housing? The news about the Sowams devt is really disheartening. Separately, if all beach fees are dropped, 1) would beach still require resident pass, and 2) how to pay for lifeguards and gate staff? If all these things att he beach go away, wait… more ›