What can be done about park crowds?

It’s nice to see the parks get the appreciation they deserve. Of course, some cautious experts are concerned they are getting too much love.

We haven’t even reached the 50-yard line of winter, and some lawmakers already have their minds on summer in Connecticut’s parks.

It may be fitting, for cabin fever tends to peak in February, and it is just that phenomenon during the pandemic that drove up attendance in parks in the last three years.

Back in 2020, Connecticut residents were so desperate to get out of the house that they formed crowds in many state parks, precisely the wrong atmosphere for combatting COVID-19.

Capacity limits were set to give people some space. But the surge in attendance surely drew some residents who were discovering these treasures for the first time. As cinemas and concert halls returned to welcoming audiences, the parks continued to log attendance figures that officials say were 50 percent above pre-pandemic levels.

It’s nice to see the parks get the appreciation they deserve. Of course, some cautious experts are concerned they are getting too much love.

“We have treasured parks, but they’re very popular, especially on those hot summer days and we’re getting more of them because of climate change,” Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes said.

Lawmakers suddenly seem like lifeguards. One proposed bill, “An Act Concerning the Public Safety Capacity of State Parks,” would introduce capacities and a park ranger to cut off the flow of entrants when needed. The intentions are not focused on ensuring the environmental health of the park, but on the lives of the visitors, considering fluid factors such as the staffing of lifeguards.

Another proposal aims to address vandalism by increasing the staffing of environmental conservation officers and related staff.

There is also a flurry of proposals related to the Passports to Parks Program. The program made access the parks free starting in 2018 in exchange for a $5-a-year surcharge on vehicle registrations. Some lawmakers want to tweak the program by making it free to veterans or limiting the number of vehicles per resident.

State Rep. Tami Zowistowski, R- East Granby, wants to get rid of the program and return to fees at the park entrances. Zowistowski’s argument is that many of her constituents are funding a service they don’t use.

Imagine if we applied such reasoning to funding of public schools. Or the military.

And while some state residents say they are too far away to enjoy some time in the sand, others who live close to beaches complain about out-of-towners taking up neighborhood parking spaces in the summer so they can walk to the shores.

Even Zowistowski acknowledged the legislation isn’t likely to gain much traction but expressed hope it would further the discussion.

While pandemics and rising August temperatures may put the most strain on our parks, these Connecticut gems deserve some love throughout the year.

But let’s keep the focus on the safety of residents and the health of our natural resources. None of these conversations should be about putting lines in the sand.