The only town-run beach in the town of Cicero won’t open this summer, according to Parks and Recreation Director Jody Rodgers.
In a release sent Friday, Rodgers said the beach at Joseph F. William Memorial Park on Lakeshore Road will not be open for swimming in the summer of 2015.
“During the 2015 budget process a number of tough decisions were made regarding the operations of the Youth Bureau, Parks and Recreation Department and specifically William Park,” Rodgers wrote. “The decision was made to close the public swim area, which in turn eliminated our Learn to Swim program.”
In addition to budget concerns, Rodgers said the decision was made due to issues with the water quality. Williams Beach, along with several other Oneida Lake beaches, have closed several times over the last few years due to E. coli contamination in the water.
“Unfortunately, because of these mandated health department closings, many of our users have voiced their concern about swimming and its impact on the health of their children if they did,” Rodgers wrote in the release.
Though the beach won’t be open for swimmers, the park will remain open to the public. Boats and other watercraft can still go out on the water from Williams Beach, and fishermen can still take advantage of the facility. In addition, Cicero residents will be offered another option for swimming lessons; the town is working with the village of North Syracuse to offer a Learn to Swim program at Kennedy Park Pool.
Rodgers also noted that other Oneida Lake beaches will remain open.
“We are very fortunate to have Oneida Shores County Park and Beach in our community for access to swimming throughout the swim season,” she wrote.
Rodgers didn’t rule out reopening the beach some time in the future.
“We will continue to monitor and reevaluate annually the reopening of the beach facility until conditions improve on an environmental level,” she wrote.
