City expects to have plan for Weirs Beach

LACONIA — It may not be beach weather yet, but city officials are thinking about how they might limit crowds on Weirs Beach this summer.

Social distancing was no problem during the past Memorial Day weekend when there were no more than 100 at any one time on the 450-foot-long beach. But mindful that on last July 4 when the beach was jam-packed to within an estimated 50 people of its 2,200 capacity, the city’s Parks and Recreation Department sees the need to keep social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic is a serious challenge.

Last year the Fourth of July was on a Thursday. But this year the holiday falls on Saturday. And because the day before is designated as a federal holiday, it means that most people will have a three-day weekend.

Amy Lovisek, the city’s parks and facilities director, believes the city “may have to” limit the number of people on the beach far below the designated 2,200 person capacity.

The five-member Parks and Recreation Commission is scheduled to take up the matter at its meeting on Monday, June 15.

City Manager Scott Myers said Tuesday that he expects he will bring up the matter at next Monday’s City Council meeting.

Ideas that are being considered to address the situation include ways of limiting parking or having specially trained people who would help with crowd control and ask beachgoers for voluntary compliance with social distancing rules.

“We are thinking how to give people the appropriate space,” Myers said.

He added another concern is having people spaced out on the beach in such a way that those going to or from the water will be able to do so without getting too close to others on the beach.

“We need pathways,” he said.

Under Gov. Chris Sununu’s guidelines for inland state beaches, walking/running, swimming are permitted, as are sitting, playing, and sunbathing as long as social distancing is maintained.

Myers said that because Weirs Beach is less than one-tenth of a mile long the beach doesn’t lend itself to much in the way of active recreation.

Lovisek agreed, noting: “If you walk the length of Weirs Beach you’re going to get to the end pretty quickly.”

Because federal funds were used for beach improvements in the past, the city cannot limit access to just city, county or state residents, and it also cannot charge admission to beachgoers.