Town of Sandwich Beach Policy summer 2020

Sandwich Town Beach, photo by Viktoriya Galkina

The Sandwich Selectmen write: Hello all: Thank you to all residents who participated in the recreational spaces survey!  It is great to hear how committed this community is to using public spaces in a safe and fair manner. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will be implementing modifications to beach policies this year with the understanding that we must remain flexible in this time of ever-changing circumstances. All policies are subject to change, however we understand residents are eager to begin summer planning. Community cooperation is essential to ensuring effective policies and is greatly appreciated in advance!

Please wear a mask when moving to and from vehicles and maintain distance from anyone that is not in your household (per CDC guidelines). Please do not come to the beach if you or a member of your household is sick. As we seek to keep facilities accessible to all residents, please be mindful of the large at-risk sector of our population.

 No Lifeguards on Duty: swim at your own risk at all times!  No inflatables, but lifejackets and foam noodles are allowed.  There will be no picnic tables and no swim raft, but we will have swim lines. There will be no swim lessons this summer.

The Beach parking area will be for beachgoers only. Please use roadside parking or the trailer lot across the street from the beach for boat use including rooftop launches (kayaks, canoes, etc.) Beach games will not be allowed (spikeball, frisbee, bocce, football, Kan Jam etc.)

As always, facility stickers and/or guest passes are required for use of the town beaches. Parking policies will be strictly enforced. Beginning June 17th, Beach Attendants will staff the town beach at Squam 7 days a week 10:00 am - 5:30 pm to assist in implementing the following procedures. The Beach will be open regular hours 7:00 am to 10:00 pm.
 
Upon arrival, beachgoers will give their name and the number of people in their vehicle to the beach attendants. Attendants will note the arrival time, and assign the group a number. Beach goers will have a two-hour time limit when beach is at capacity. If the beach reaches capacity, an attendant will give group members a fifteen-minute notice. Attendants will determine capacity based upon parking and discretion, taking into consideration beach space and CDC guidelines. If the beach does not reach capacity in two hours, beachgoers may stay until capacity is reached. However, if capacity is reached, the time limit will be counted as when beachgoers arrived, not when the beach reached capacity. Beachgoers may attempt to return two hours after they leave.
 
Any beachgoers who biked, walked, or are dropped off will abide time limits. Drop-offs and walk/bike-ins will not be allowed when beach is at capacity.

The Town Beach before Coronavirus... photo by Jude Davis

We ask that folks follow CDC guidelines for social distancing at the Potholes and Bearcamp Pond. Please limit visitation duration and do not attempt to enter when these parking areas are full.
 
As these policies are subject to change, full cooperation is key to assessing whether future modifications to beach policies are necessary. We are eager to facilitate the enjoyment of sunshine and our local facilities during these difficult times.

If you have any question or comments, please direct them to Sandwich Parks and Recreation Director Ole Anderson at: sandwichrecreation@gmail.com