What's planned for Easton's Beach this summer? City Council set to decide on demolition
The amenities and functions at Easton’s Beach will look significantly different this summer as the city prepares to demolish several structures on the beach.
“We’re just trying to keep it a very scaled-back operation because of everything going on,” Newport Recreation Administrator told the Newport Beach Commission about the operations plan for this upcoming season.
The city is planning to start demolition on the beach facilities which have deteriorated over decades of use and exposure to sun and surf. The demolition is expected to be finished by June 30, however, which means the summer season will be in full swing by the time the buildings are abated and cleared.
Without the ability to use their facilities, the staff at the beach will be commandeering the entire portion of the Bath House complex for operations, meaning there will be no Bath House renewals this summer season, according to a letter from Interim City Manager Laura Sitrin to the City Council which Reis also summarized at the Beach Commission meeting.
Sitrin’s letter explains that the lockers will be used to store supplies such as lifeguard stand umbrellas and janitorial supplies and staff will be assigned their own bathhouse to store personal items and shelter from inclement weather. More expensive supplies, such as rescue boards, handheld radios and tools will be stored in the men’s restroom and shower facilities within the bathhouse area, which will also act as a first aid room. Staff will use the women’s restroom and shower facility as locker rooms.
The simplified office setup the crew will have to use means they cannot process any transactions at the beach, such as beach parking sticker sales, so the city is hoping to get beachgoers to purchase these items ahead of time, at City Hall or through the mail.
Since the main office and store were located underneath the snack bar, which will be demolished, there will be no beach store this season. There will be a temporary fence set up around the demolition site.
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Additionally, the city is not planning to go into an agreement with a traditional snack bar concessions provider as has existed with the Easton’s Beach Snack Bar for years, but rather, the city has put out a Request for Proposals for temporary food and beverages concessions. The city is hoping to obtain one vendor that can provide a range of food trucks and carts for this season. Reis and the Beach Commission noted that this would be a temporary arrangement for the season and that these trucks and carts are not necessarily going to be the go-to way the city provides beach concessions going forward.
As for the building demolition itself, the city received two responses to its RFP that closed at the beginning of this month. Both bids include removal and storage of the 1950s carousel as a part of their proposals.
This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Easton's Beach, Newport, RI, facilities move closer to demolition
