Recreation on a roll as beach opens for the summer season

Pine Plains ­— Recreation Director Catherine Prentice presented a department report to the Town Board at its meeting on Thursday, June 19. Her report was thorough and detailed, and touched upon much of what will be happening at the town beach this summer.“We are going to be opening the beach on Monday, June 21,” she said last week, before this paper went to press.The beach will be open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. To visit the beach one must have a beach pass, which can be obtained at either Town Hall or at the beach itself. There is no charge for town residents, while nonresidents must pay $3 for a daily pass. The cost for a season pass is $25 for nonresidents; the cost for a family season pass for nonresidents is $50.Prentice said the goal is for the beach to remain open through Labor Day weekend, though those plans are still up in the air.This year there will be something new at the beach. Kayaks, Prentice said, will be available for beachgoers to rent on an hourly basis. There will be five kayaks, three single and two double. “Anybody can rent them out, but only during beach hours,” she said.Anyone younger than 18 must be with an adult to rent the kayaks.There is no set rental price yet. Prentice recommended charging $10 an hour, but board members said they thought that was “too steep,” according to the recreation director. Nonetheless, she said she’s excited about the new beach activity.“I hope it draws more people to the beach, more of a crowd,” Prentice said. “I am very excited.”The town will have to purchase a storage shed to house the kayaks; they won’t be bought until the shed is on site. Prentice said that will be done “sooner rather than later,” as she wants to get the kayaks out on Stissing Lake as quickly as possible. The kayaks will be purchased from Kenco in Kingston, according to Town Clerk Judy Harpp. Though she didn’t have a price estimate she said the money will be coming out of the Recreation Department’s budget line.Besides kayaks and of course swimming, the beach has a playground, a volleyball court and is just around the corner from the basketball and baseball/softball fields. The town also offers arts and crafts at the beach; this year that activity will be available three days a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. There are also a couple of outdoor grills for public use at the beach grounds.The Recreation Department has also been busy trying to drum up support for a new batting cage. Prentice penned a letter to community businesses seeking donations to purchase a Batco Batcobb Premium Baseball Batting Cage, to use at the town fields for the major and minor league baseball teams as well as the softball league.“I feel proud to inform you that despite being a small community we are able to offer the children and elders many great recreational programs,” she wrote. “Now that times are a little challenging for most individuals we need financial assistance from you.”She added that the batting cage would “be a great benefit” for the local ball teams and that any donations would be tax deductible. Though Prentice is seeking donations of $500, she noted that “any amount is always welcome.”For more information call Prentice at 845-464-7699.