The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management announced today the annual closure of the parking lot at Scarborough South State Beach in Narragansett.
The parking lot will close on Monday, August 19, and will remain closed through Labor Day on Tuesday, September 3. It will only be open for parking on weekends. The parking lot at Scarborough North State Beach will remain open through Labor Day.
Food concessions will remain open at Scarborough South on weekends, but the swimming area will be reduced to the lifeguard area at Scarborough North State Beach. The restrooms and showers at Scarborough South will be closed, but additional porta-john units will be provided.
The DEM said the parking lot and restrooms at Scarborough South have been closed in late August for several years due to a shrinking labor force with lifeguards, park rangers, and facility attendants returning to college and high school. The DEM has concentrated the remaining seasonal staff at Scarborough North State Beach to ensure full staff coverage at that facility.
All state beaches will close for the season after Labor Day on Tuesday, September 3, the DEM said.
Full statement from DEM
“The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is reminding beachgoers that as has been the case for several years, the parking lot at Scarborough South State Beach in Narragansett will close on Monday, August 19 during weekdays, and will be open for parking on weekends only for the remainder of the summer beach season. While food concessions will remain open at Scarborough South on weekends, the swimming area will be reduced to Scarborough North State Beach’s lifeguard area. The restrooms and showers at Scarborough South will be closed, however, additional porta john units will be brought in for this period. Patrons will still have access to all facilities at Scarborough North and all other surf state beaches through Labor Day. For several years, DEM has closed the parking lot and restroom facilities at Scarborough South in late August as it contends with a shrinking summertime labor force with lifeguards, park rangers, and facility attendants returning to college and high school. DEM’s Division of Parks and Recreation has concentrated the remaining seasonal staff at Scarborough North State Beach to ensure that this popular facility has full staff coverage. All state beach facilities will close for the season the day after Labor Day, Tuesday, Sept. 3.”
For more information, visit the DEM’s website.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
