Durand Beach, Rochester

Discuss local parks, preserves and lakes here.

Moderators: Brenda, Kelly

Post Reply
User avatar
Matt
President
President
Posts: 13374
Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2006 5:01 pm
Camera Model: Olympus OMD EM-1 m1, m2; Panasonic GM5, Osmo Pocket
Location: Rochester, NY
Contact:

It's drawing thousands, though E. coli worries linger

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/app ... /707310327

(July 31, 2007) — People are flocking to Durand-Eastman Beach, a year after its grand re-opening and a season curtailed by permit complications and rampant bacteria.

City officials announced Monday that by the end of the day, attendance was expected to hit 29,000, far surpassing the 9,200 who came last year.

Aided by hot, dry weather — conditions in which E. coli tend not to proliferate — the beach has remained open for 43 of 49 days this year, or 88 percent of the time. The same weather conditions, meanwhile, have had the opposite effect at Ontario Beach in Charlotte, where excessive algae has forced the beach's closure on 15 days since its opening June 21.

Last year was a different story: Heavy rains drove up E. coli counts at Durand, which had been closed for nearly 40 years because of severe contamination issues, threatening Mayor Robert Duffy's plans to reopen the beach permanently and confounding officials seeking a source for the bacteria.

With a month left to go this season — the beach is scheduled to close Sept. 3, unless Duffy agrees to keep it open a few more weekends to meet demand — Durand's fate could turn yet again. But the foreseeable future looks bright: Because temperatures are expected to reach or exceed 85 degrees this week, the beach will be open for extended hours through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Weekend bus service to the beach also has made it more accessible. And while several bathers Monday expressed concern about the water quality, they said they felt reassured that it is regularly tested.

"It smells a lot better. It's a lot cleaner. There's not odd things going on in the bushes," said Angelica Nuñez, 31, of Rochester. She came Monday with her children, Brandon and Beýonce White, ages 3 and 4. "My kids love the water. When it's hot, it's hard to find places to bring the kids if you don't have a vehicle to get to Hamlin Beach."

The beach has been so popular this year that the city has ordered more grills, picnic benches and trash barrels and is considering expanding the bathing area.

"This verifies Mayor Duffy's belief that this exquisite resource needed to be brought back online," said Deputy Mayor Patricia Malgieri, speaking at Lake Ontario.

Duffy has been steadfast about keeping the beach open, regarding it as a safe alternative for young people who might otherwise find "less productive" things to do with their time or wouldn't have access to a swimming pool or other form of relief from the hot weather.

His determination was met with surprise, and some consternation, by Monroe County officials, who are responsible for ensuring safe water quality at the beach, even though it is owned by the city.

Eventually the city was allowed to open the beach by obtaining waivers on certain state requirements, including one that spells out the distance — 750 feet — that a bathing area must be from a sewer outlet. Sampling along the waterfront last summer revealed high levels of E. coli in at least six discharge points that cross the beach.

The city's plans to open the beach again this year had been in question, since a fix to the contamination problem still had not been found. But county health officials ultimately signed off on the permit, in large part because its reopening appeared to have prevented any drownings — previously a perennial problem because the beach, despite its contamination and lack of lifeguards, remained a popular swimming spot.

There has been one drowning at Durand this year, though at some distance from the area maintained by the city. Shawn D. Smith, 35, of Rochester and another man got out of a boat and went into Lake Ontario, not far from the shore, about 4:15 p.m. June 27. Smith immediately began having difficulty. Rescue personnel searched the water until finding Smith's body.

The city's lifeguards regularly patrol the stretch of beach beyond the official bathing area, trying to get people out of the water, but Monday it was clear their efforts are not always successful — or not for long. Still, Malgieri said, there had been no tickets issued this year.

Meanwhile, the city is working with a Penfield engineering firm, Lu Engineers, to investigate the causes of contamination and propose solutions, as well as make recommendations for the establishment of permanent bathing facilities.

Durand Beach officially opened this year on May 26. Since then, the city has reportedly received a preliminary report from Lu Engineers, which officials were set to discuss several weeks ago. But finalizing a plan for the beach is expected to take many months because of the anticipated costs and the many parties involved — including Irondequoit, the county, the state and private landowners.

Chris Mascadri and his family, including wife Eva and sons Mark Anthony, 17, and Eric, 14, said they were mildly concerned about the water quality. But Chris Mascadri, who swam at the beach as a child in the 1960s, returned for the first time since then on Monday and declared it "very clean, not too bad on the green stuff" and "more family-oriented than Charlotte."

"We had a couple hours and wanted some water, so I said, 'Let's try Duffy Park,'" said Mascadri, of Penfield. The E. coli needs to be addressed, he said, but "I think the greater good is enjoying the water."
User avatar
Brenda
VIP II
VIP II
Posts: 2740
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2007 2:01 pm
Camera Model: Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
Location: Lodi

"There's not odd things going on in the bushes," :shock: I'm not familiar with this beach. What's your take on all of this, Matt? Have conditions improved there that much?
Finger Lakes Mill Creek Cabins
http://www.fingerlakescabins.com
User avatar
tjconheady
Board Expert
Board Expert
Posts: 845
Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2006 7:45 pm
Camera Model: Canon Powershot S3
Location: Spencerport, NY

can this county/city PLEASE improve it's recreation/commercial districts


PLEASE

this is why you lose people constantly to other parts of the country...
TJC

www.conheady.net...a cleaner, less biased, less censored, less-Matted forum
User avatar
Matt
President
President
Posts: 13374
Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2006 5:01 pm
Camera Model: Olympus OMD EM-1 m1, m2; Panasonic GM5, Osmo Pocket
Location: Rochester, NY
Contact:

TOWN REACHES AGREEMENT TO PRESERVE EVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LAND
20-acre site near Seabreeze to be purchased by Town

Supervisor Mary Ellen Heyman announced today the Town of Irondequoit intends to purchase 20-acres of environmentally sensitive land, adjacent to Durand Eastman Park. The area, known as the “Seabreeze Shores Subdivision” is comprised of wetlands, steep slopes and mature trees.
“This is a tremendous acquisition for the people of Irondequoit,” said Supervisor Heyman. “We must be firm in our commitment to preserve the precious open space remaining in our Town and never forget how fortunate we are to have such to a unique and beautiful natural environment.”
This past October, the Town Board adopted a resolution authorizing Supervisor Heyman to negotiate an agreement to purchase the parcel (Resolution 150 of 2007). Funding for the purchase will come from the Special Recreation Fund, which is dedicated to investment in recreational and open space opportunities and assets within the Town.
The parcel of land is located at the end of Birch Hills Drive in the Seabreeze neighborhood of Irondequoit. The Town will likely seek to utilize the land for recreational purposes, and will look to further enhance an area that has already been transformed by the now completed and heavily popular Irondequoit Lakeside Multi-Use Trail.
Under New York State Law, the Town must present the terms of the agreement to residents and conduct a public hearing before final purchase. This hearing will take place at the regular Town Board meeting on January 15th. Residents interested in learning more about the land acquisition may contact the Town’s Department of Development Services at 585-336-6771.
Post Reply