duBois Beach Repairs Set To Begin In May

Hurricane Sandy pounded Stonington Borough, wreaking havoc on piers, docks, sea walls, homes, and vegetation. duBois Beach at Stonington Point felt the brunt of the storm's fury.

But after the hurricane and then a tough winter of blizzards and nor'easters and very high tides, the beach will have a facelift early next month in time for the Saturday May 25 opening.

"Our goal is to have the restoration complete by May 15," said Kevin Bowdler, president of the Stonington Village Improvement Association, which owns the beach.

Bowdler said a contractor is hired and the estimated cost of clean-up, sand restoration and dune work is $10,000. Work should begin the week of May 6.

The beach needs to be regraded, sand that was moved up against the seawall along the street, and along the neighboring property needs to be redistributed and new sand needs to be trucked in. Decking that was next to the pavilion buckled during the storm and needs to be removed.

This is the second year in a row that such repairs were needed, as the beach had to be restored after Tropical Storm Irene as well, Bowdler noted.

The SVIA owns the beach but contracts with the Stonington Community Center to run it during the summer. COMO Executive Director Beth Stewart said there are some changes this year for the beach operation.

Most importantly, the lifeguard hours are changing from 10 a.m., to 4 p.m. to 9 a.m., to 6 p.m. This means admission will be charged between those hours.

The beach will be staffed weekends only from May 24-June16. From June 17-Sept. 7, the beach will be staffed seven days a week.

Walk-in admission to the beach is $5 per person.

Season passes are now available at the COMO. For non-COMO members, an individual adult pass is $80. A family pass is $100.

For COMO members, an individual adult pass is $55. A family pass is $70.

The COMO also sells passes for Sandy Point, which is owned by the Avalonia Land Trust. For anyone who is not a member of either the COMO or land trust, an individual pass is $70 and a family pass is $90. For members of either COMO or Avalonia, an individual pass is $50 and a family pass is $65.

For $175, you can get a COMO membership and both beach passes.