(PLATTSBURGH - Wednesday September 7th, 2022) - The City of Plattsburgh officially closed the Plattsburgh City Beach on Monday September 5th after the Labor Day long weekend. The 2022 season saw numerous changes such as the introduction of parking kiosks in the beach parking lot, the return of many Canadian visitors, multiple events hosted at the beach and a gift of two beach wheelchairs from Sunrise Rotary Club.
While access to the beach still remains open to the public, lifeguards will not be on duty, and beach amenities such as washroom facilities are closed, although port-a-johns will still be available until September 30.
Parking kiosks will display a ‘FREE PARKING’ message until they are powered down for the winter.
Parking Kiosk Revenue
The beach’s new kiosk based parking system generated $75,806 in revenue from daily parking fees during the 2022 season. Twenty-one seasonal beach permits have been sold via the online portal generating additional revenue of $1,260. The up-front cost for the four kiosks installed at the beach including hardware, shipping, installation and spare parts was approximately $47,000 so these kiosks paid for themselves in less than a single season.
613 free seasonal beach passes have been issued to City and Town residents during the 2022 season. Upon the expiration of the Falcon Seaboard Agreement in December 2022, the Mayor’s office will work with the Town Supervisor to determine how best to move forward with potential beach parking fees for Town and City residents.
The City Beach as an Event Destination
This summer the beach played host to many exciting events in the North Country. At the start of July the Mayor’s Cup event, co-hosted by the City of Plattsburgh and Sunrise Rotary Club, held its annual sailing regatta, brought back the sand castle sculpture contest, and brought food trucks, live music and more to the beach. Later in the summer the North Country Chamber of Commerce hosted the East Coast watercross tournament bringing hundreds of watercross enthusiasts to the shores of Lake Champlain. The beach also hosted local events such as a beach wrestling tournament, dance recital, and private outdoor church service.
Accessibility Prioritized
Thanks to a generous gift from Sunrise Rotary club, the beach now has two beach wheelchairs that allow folks who are wheelchair users or have mobility considerations to access the beach and water more easily. These chairs will be available free of charge to the public in the 2023 season. In partnership with Sunrise Rotary, the City held a public discussion at the beach last week to discuss how to make the area more inclusive and accessible to residents and visitors. This feedback will inform further actions to make our beach more accessible.
2023 Beach Season
After standardizing the beach’s operating calendar this season, City staff are already looking ahead to 2023 and another beach season between Memorial Day and Labor Day. During this year’s NYS Consolidated Funding Application process, the City requested over $1.3 million in grant funding for various improvements to the beach complex including vendor building and bathhouse improvements as well as improved infrastructure and green space throughout the area.
Due to substantial demand for a limited pool of certified lifeguards, the City intends to increase pay for all its lifeguards in 2023 to remain competitive with the pay offered at other local beaches.
The City of Plattsburgh wishes to thank everyone who visited and supported the beach this summer and is looking forward to another successful year in 2023.
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