Ignore the thermostat, beach season’s officially here
Overcast skies, temperatures in the 60’s didn’t keep diehards from enjoying ‘opening day’ at RI beaches
Clad in Spiderman swim trunks, 6-year-old Austin Restrepo stops at the edge of the water at Olney Pond and declares, “It's cold.” But he walks right back into the water.
“My wife thought we were a little crazy,” Jaime Restrepo said of the idea to bring their kids to the beach on May 27, when it was sunny but only 62 degrees. While adults may shudder at the idea of going in chilly water, Restrepo commented, “Kids, they don't feel that.”
Saturday marked the first day open for Rhode Island state beaches this summer. Lincoln Woods State Park wasn't exactly teeming with the crowds typical of a July or August day, but mid-day, a few parents were on the beach with their children, kicking off a summer season of sun and sand.
Restrepo came with his three sons: 6-year-old Austin, 4-year-old Damian and 19-month-old Camdyn.
“They just wanted to dip their feet in the water, run around the park, play a little soccer,” Restrepo said, adding with a smile, “How can you say no to that?”
The family lives in North Providence, but Restrepo has been coming to Lincoln Woods since he was a kid growing up in Pawtucket. He fondly recalls family events, cookouts and birthday parties there.
For beachgoers at Lincoln Woods on Saturday, they weren't just visiting for the first beach day of the season; they were seeing a revamped location. Federal, state and local officials gathered on Friday morning for the ribbon-cutting of the new beach pavilion, a $5.5 million project from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.
“It's beautiful. I love it,” Restrepo said. “What it was before to what it is now is amazing.”
Like Restrepo, lifelong Lincoln
resident Lisa Steckert has been coming to Lincoln Woods since she was a child. She would come to kayak or to hang out after school, even if it was just to sit on the beach and not go in the water.
“It's a nice place for kids to come and relax and still feel safe,” she said.
She commented on how much cleaner the facilities are and said she feels kids will be able to take better advantage of the new beach pavilion. Steckert added that the old facility “was always more crowded,” and she feels the new one will be both more efficient and more familyfriendly.
While Restrepo hadn't realized Saturday was opening day for state beaches, Restrepo inadvertently learned of the beach schedule a week ago.
“The girls wanted to build sandcastles, and we like coming here,” she said. “We came here last week but it was closed, so we promised we'd come back today.”
As her 3-year-old daughter picked up an orange rescue can, Steckert laughed, “Charlotte thinks she's a ' Baywatch' babe.”
She then went to splash in the water with her older sister.
“I'm a mermaid!” 5-year-old Samantha cried as she leaped into the air, arms above her head.
To those who have been coming to Lincoln Woods for years, the spot is proof that you can visit a decent beach without traveling the 45 minutes to South County or Newport. Another option in Northern Rhode Island is Spring Lake Beach, in Burrillville.
This past Saturday, beach manager Judy Lopez said, was a day for neighbors in Burrillville to stop by to purchase family passes and book parties. On the beach itself were the family members of staff, who had stopped by to help clean.
Lopez said preparing the beach for the summer season has been tough because of the rain. The process includes getting the docks and water slides out, setting up the buoys, raking the beach, washing the bathrooms and preparing the concessions stand.
Lopez said on Saturday that she expects a lot more people to be at the beach the following day and next weekend.
The Spring Lake Beach Recreational Facility also offers an old-fashioned penny arcade, boat rentals and recreation activities for children.