WTNH News Channel 8 / News / 1999

	Workers get beaches, parks ready for holiday weekend (East Lyme-WTNH) _ Workers at the state's parks and beaches are getting ready for the start of the summer season this holiday weekend. But are the facilities ready for the public? According to the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection the answer is yes. Officials say state employees have been gearing up for the holiday onslaught. But apparently there's room for improvement. News Channel 8's Peter Standring reports. At Rocky Neck the weeds have been whacked the grass has been cut the beach has been swept and people seem pretty pleased. Duke Dootson, Glastonbury: "They've done a terrific job cleaning it up. There was a lot of seaweed and stuff on the beach last week, it's all gone." Just in the nick of time. All the work here has been done in the last few days by a small number of young people hired for the season for not a lot of money. Darin Jones, Maintenance Worker: "It's an awful lot of work. "I think, ya know, if more kids did come out for a job, it'd be a lot better." He's got a point. You see, not everything at the state's parks is in perfect working order just yet. For example here in the men's room there's no soap in any of the dispensers. And if you want a drink from the water fountain on the way out .forget it. At Hammonasset Beach, where they're expecting about 15,000 people a day there this weekend, you can always find someone who's not happy with the conditions. Ginnette Magro, Naugatuck: "I don't like Hammonasset. It's dirty." Peter: "In what way?" Magro: "The water looks dirty, there's all seaweed and stuff up on the beach." But all things considered state officials say our beaches and parks are in great shape. Managers would love to be able hire more workers, and offer them better pay, but say their hands are tied. Roger Kinderman, Park Manager: "That's a non-ending battle, but yeah, as far as I can tell, I'm pretty happy with the way things are looking right now." Of course it's only Friday. The big question is how will things look come Monday night after everyone's gone home. the director of parks says the state is spending millions of dollars on the entire park system and believes the public will see major improvements. Today's News Page. WTNH Home Page. ©1999 WTNH/WTNH-DT A LIN station.

Workers get beaches, parks ready for holiday weekend
(East Lyme-WTNH) _ Workers at the state's parks and beaches are getting ready for the start of the summer season this holiday weekend. But are the facilities ready for the public? According to the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection the answer is yes. Officials say state employees have been gearing up for the holiday onslaught. But apparently there's room for improvement.
News Channel 8's Peter Standring reports.

At Rocky Neck the weeds have been whacked the grass has been cut the beach has been swept and people seem pretty pleased.

Duke Dootson, Glastonbury: "They've done a terrific job cleaning it up. There was a lot of seaweed and stuff on the beach last week, it's all gone."

Just in the nick of time. All the work here has been done in the last few days by a small number of young people hired for the season for not a lot of money.

Darin Jones, Maintenance Worker: "It's an awful lot of work.
"I think, ya know, if more kids did come out for a job, it'd be a lot better."

He's got a point. You see, not everything at the state's parks is in perfect working order just yet. For example here in the men's room there's no soap in any of the dispensers. And if you want a drink from the water fountain on the way out .forget it.

At Hammonasset Beach, where they're expecting about 15,000 people a day there this weekend, you can always find someone who's not happy with the conditions.

Ginnette Magro, Naugatuck: "I don't like Hammonasset. It's dirty."
Peter: "In what way?"
Magro: "The water looks dirty, there's all seaweed and stuff up on the beach."

But all things considered state officials say our beaches and parks are in great shape. Managers would love to be able hire more workers, and offer them better pay, but say their hands are tied.

Roger Kinderman, Park Manager: "That's a non-ending battle, but yeah, as far as I can tell, I'm pretty happy with the way things are looking right now."

Of course it's only Friday. The big question is how will things look come Monday night after everyone's gone home.

the director of parks says the state *is* spending millions of dollars on the entire park system and believes the public will see major improvements.

Today's News Page.

WTNH Home Page.