WILLOW CREEK — Pleasant Lake’s two public beaches recorded a combined 22,000 visitor-days between Memorial Day and July 31, shattering the previous record of 14,500 set in 2019 and straining parking, sanitation, and safety resources.
The town’s beach manager, Theresa Levesque, said the main beach parking lot filled to capacity by 10 a.m. on 22 of the 68 days in the period, forcing late arrivals to park along the access road — a configuration the fire chief has flagged as an emergency-access concern.
“We are seeing crowds we were not designed for,” Levesque said. “The beach was built for a town of 1,200, not for the thousands who show up on a hot Saturday.”
The Board of Selectmen held an emergency work session on July 28 to discuss solutions. Options under consideration include paid parking ($10 per vehicle), a reservation system for out-of-town visitors, and hiring seasonal lifeguards for the first time since the 1990s.
The town currently relies on posted signs warning that swimming is at one’s own risk. No drownings have been reported, but the fire department responded to three water-rescue calls in July alone.
Maeve O’Donnell of the General Store said the beach crowds have been good for business but acknowledged the tension. “We want visitors but we also want our lake not to be overwhelmed,” she said. “It’s a balancing act.”
The board is expected to vote on a beach management plan before the 2023 season.