Weather dampens City Beach's opening day
Jun. 19—PLATTSBURGH — The Plattsburgh City Beach's official opening couldn't have landed on a more untimely day, with gray, cloudy skies and light rain showers marking the beach's return after more than a year of it being officially closed.
The beach was mostly vacant Friday after light rain began at about 2 p.m., leaving lifeguards to monitor empty waters and a seagull-occupied shore.
The beach was previously opened to vehicles earlier in June without lifeguards. Visitors swam at their own risk. But Friday marked its official opening, complete with the new Beachside Café and small improvements made by the city.
Also introduced Friday were increased entry fees.
The Plattsburgh City Common Council passed the new fees for non-Plattsburgh city and town residents June 17.
All fees were increased by at least $2 and at most $35. Fees now range from $11 for U.S. vehicles on weekdays to $110 for a seasonal pass.
For The Cabana Beach Bar, Friday's weather foreshadowed the U.S.-Canada border's extended restrictions that was announced the same day. The border is now restricted until at least July 21.
"It's definitely going to hurt the beach again this year. It'll be a weak season," Greg Larson, owner of The Cabana Beach Bar said of the border's extended restrictions.
Larson said Canadian citizens make up at least 60 percent of his business. With the continued closure and without Canadian business, Larson said he's bracing for a long summer.
"It'll affect us a lot," he said. "Numbers don't lie."
Larson said he had about 20 people come in Friday, although he said that was largely weather related. He expects business to pick up again once warmer weather returns. But having the border closed until at least July, he said, will put a cap on his business.
"But it's not a total loss. (The border's restrictions) doesn't help, but this is better than last year when we weren't open at all," Larson said. "We'll be all right."
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