The annual boat lottery drawing topped the Parks and Recreation Commission’s meeting agenda Monday, May 4. Unlike boat drawings of the past—with names pulled from a jar—this one was done by computer. Residents wishing a mooring or a spot on the canoe and kayak racks had to register online more than a month ago, and Monday night, the names were downloaded according to the type of storage being requested. In every category, the number of applicants exceeded the number of spots. The greatest gap was in the canoe and kayak class, where 250 registrants vied for 100 spots.
A random generator program chose the appropriate number of names in each category. Commission member Steve Gordon will send email notification to residents whose names were selected, and they will have 30 days in which to pay the fee online.
Chairwoman Wyona Lynch-McWhite noted that any resident storing a boat at the pond will still need a beach sticker to park a car there. Lynch-McWhite also reminded commission members that the Board of Selectmen had voted to fine owners of cars parked at the beach without a sticker.
A statement sent to Lynch-McWhite from Selectman Ron Ricci raised a number of questions and concerns. The selectmen want to restrict parking on the south side of Pond Road—from Warren Avenue down to utility pole 8—because of danger of contamination to the town wells. There is already a parking ban for the north side of Pond Road. Commission members had questions about the real danger to the wells and about the process of making a decision on the parking. They expressed concerns about the impact further restriction would have on trailer parking, already a serious problem.
The meeting ended in executive session.
