April 21, 2020 by Carol Britton Meyer
With the beach season fast approaching, the Bathing Beach Trustees are juggling many different moving parts.
"In a perfect world we'd open sometime in July," Trustee Alan Perrault told the Hingham Anchor -- but that's not a given due to the COVID-19 crisis, including concerns about large gatherings and social distancing guidelines set forth by the state.
While working cooperatively with various town boards and Hingham Farmers Market organizers in planning for the upcoming season, the trustees are awaiting word from Gov. Charlie Baker about whether he will extend the state's stay-at-home advisory beyond the current May 4 date.
Today the governor ordered that Massachusetts schools remain closed for the remainder of the school year due to the on-going CODIV-19 crisis. This follows an earlier mandate for schools and non-essential businesses to remain closed until May 4 -- and an accompanying stay-at-home advisory -- which remain in effect.
While farmers' markets are considered essential businesses, social distancing and other guidelines would need to be met. "We want to come up with the best [overall] plan possible for the bathing beach," Perrault said.
Hingham Farmers Market, Inc. President Mark Cullings had this to say: "The HFM recognizes the complexity of issues facing the trustees and is working with them and other town officials to develop a plan that works for everyone."
Beach plans are in the formative stages, "largely dependent on the overlying state regulations and getting the appropriate approvals at the town level," Perrault said. "The first step is seeing what the state comes up with, and then we could impose even stronger regulations [if we think that is necessary]."
Until Baker announces whether or not he will extend the May 4 date, decisions such as whether or not the beach/beach parking lot will remain open [partly depending on how much extra beach traffic there could be with the recent closing of the Nantasket Beach parking lot], whether there will be lifeguards, the HFM timeframe, and other considerations are up in the air.
"We need to consider the greater public good," Perrault said. "We're doing everything we can within the context of what we are allowed to do [under state regulations]. We also need to be consistent with what the board of health/health department and the selectmen [think is best]." Input from Police Chief Glenn Olsson and from the planning board and zoning board of appeals about how the HFM will be set up this year in the current climate are also key, according to Perrault.
In the meantime, work on the new bathhouse/concession stand/community room continues. "The handicapped ramps will be installed soon on both sides of the building, which will be one of the last steps for completing the exterior," Perrault said.
The concession stand, which will be operated by Greg Acerra d.b.a. Fireking Baking Company, will be a big draw once the lease is finalized and a plan for the overall bathing beach is in place.
"Its important that we all [continue to] work together," Perrault said.