Attempting to escape the recent heat, some people headed to West Haven’s beaches Tuesday. While it was warm, a cool breeze floated off the ocean.
“Right now, it is relaxing. It’s everything I need this morning,” said Roxanne Walker-Canton of Hamden.
As temperatures climb, beaches were perfect for a weekday outing. Parking in near West Haven beaches was easy to find. That was not necessarily the case last summer.
“There was definitely a problem with parking on the street,” said West Haven Mayor, Nancy Rossi.
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Rossi explained it was primarily non-residents.
“It was people not even from out of town but out of state, that would flock here,” Rossi said.
Rossi says the city has made changes to curb those parking issues that plagued the beach area last year. Area signage has been increased and so have the penalties for violations.
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Non-resident, season beach passes are also being sold for $125. Daily parking for non-residents is $25.
“We want out of towners to come,” Rossi said. “We want them to enjoy the facilities, however, that doesn’t mean that you leave trash here and disobey our parking regulations.”
The trash problem, however, hasn’t completely disappeared. While boardwalk areas were mainly clean, beach sand needed some work after this busy weekend.
“We found a lot of trash kind of pushed back to the side with the seashells,” said Sara Diaz who was at Savin Rock Park Tuesday.
Observing World Ocean Day, Diaz and her husband Miguel were volunteering today. They picked up four bags of trash. Miguel Diaz says people were thanking them for their efforts.
“They’re definitely acknowledging the fact that it needs to be done and they’re happy that it’s being done,” he said.
Rossi says she has seen the trash issue herself and explains the city is working to change things. In addition to the department of public works, she says the city council has also organized volunteer efforts to clean things up.
