Waterworks Park beach remains open

A recommendation last week by the Fairfield Park and Recreation Department Board of Directors to close the beach at Waterworks Park wasn?t approved by the Fairfield City Council Monday night.

Frank Wintroub, who served as the organizer of a volunteer group doing maintenance at the beach for several years, pressed the park and rec board for support with lifeguards and maintenance due to the closing of the city?s outdoor pool.

?Frank put his heart and soul into it [the beach] for many years and was asking for more city involvement out there,? said Mayor Ed Malloy at the city council meeting. ?But the budget didn?t allocate funds for any of that.?

The park and rec board cited safety and health reasons for making a recommendation to close the beach after a volunteer group providing maintenance disbanded.

?Terry Cochran [park and rec board president] was fine with the city council making the ultimate decision on this,? said Malloy.

The city council opted to leave the beach use policy as it was last year.

?The buoys are out there as a courtesy,? said park and rec director Derik Wulfekuhle. ?It?s clearly signed that users are swimming at their own risk.?

Wulfekuhle said the extent of his department?s maintenance effort is mowing the grass, emptying the trash and the city crew spreading sand when necessary.

?We don?t have safety equipment out there if someone is drowning,? said Wulfekuhle. ?There is different certification needed for ?open water? lifeguarding that our pool lifeguards don?t have.?

Malloy and city council members Connie Boyer and Martha Rasmussen stressed the need for a revitalized volunteer effort for the beach upkeep.

The council unanimously approved returning the Bonnifield Lake beach at Waterworks Park to its past rules and regulations.