Rye Town Park will restrict evening access to Oakland Beach starting next Monday, August 1st. From 6:00pm – 8:00pm the beach will only be open to season permit holders and residents of Port Chester, Rye Brook, Rye Neck & Rye City.
The lifeguards work on the beach until 6pm. Although there is no swimming after 6:00pm, in the past everyone was welcome on the beach – without a fee – between 6:00pm and 8:00pm.
“The problem is more and more people are coming onto the beach after 6:00pm and they’re becoming more and more confrontational about leaving,” said Rye Town Park Director Russ Gold. “I think [the new rule] is going to give the permit holders and the residents a little more sense of ownership and let them feel like stakeholders.”
One of the reasons for the crowding of Oakland Beach is that Playland Amusement Park, under the new management of Standard Amusements, has not opened the adjacent Playland Beach this summer. Standard has been mum about any planned opening, but one has to think at this point any opening this summer is unlikely.
Oakland Beach is open seven days a week through Labor Day. After Labor Day, the beach is open for swimming hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It is currently undecided if the beach will be open weekdays in September for enjoyment, just without a swimming privilege.
RYE TOWN PARK BEACH RULES:
Waterfront for swimming and bathing:
9:00 am – 6:00 pm 7 days a week
Opened to everyone (permit or admission fee charged).
Beach (sand) remains open:
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm 7 days a week
Swimming, bathing, wading not permitted
(permit holders or residents only).
Beach closes & clears of all patrons:
8:00pm 7 days a week
