Weirs Beach reached 1,000 person cap Sat. and Sun.

LACONIA — The city’s decision to more than double the cap at Weirs Beach took the pressure off the other city beaches over the weekend, the city’s park director reported.

Weirs Beach reached its new COVID-19 limit of 1,000 people on both Saturday and Sunday, according to Amy Lovisek, the director of park facilities.

The largest in the city park system, Weirs Beach had been limited to 400 people in response to the COVID-19 crisis. But the Parks and Recreation Commission last week raised the limit to 1,000 after the lower cap caused attendance at the other in-city beaches to soar.

The 450-foot-long beach on Lake Winnipesaukee has a rated capacity of 2,200 people.

Bartlett Beach on Lake Winnisquam was the hardest hit by the smaller limit. The beaches at Opechee Park also saw significant increases in numbers.

But this past weekend the numbers at Bartlett Beach were low. A major reason, Lovisek said, was last week's tests showed the water at Bartlett Beach was unsafe for swimming because of high bacteria. Those who did come to the beach either stuck to the picnic area, used the playground, or just sunned themselves.

Lovisek said the numbers at Opechee Park’s two beaches were also lower. Lovisek said a softball tournament taking place in the park may have turned beachgoers away, especially if they could not find a place to park.

Lovisek said the beach at Ahern State Park was busy, based on information she received from the Laconia Police Department which had an officer assigned to patrol beaches around the city, including Ahern, over the weekend.

Lovisek said the water at Bartlett Beach was retested Monday and she hoped to have preliminary test results to report later today.