New town beach should open July 4 weekend

Warwick-They were good intentions.The hope was to open the new town beach on Greenwood Lake for Memorial Day Weekend. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Instead, the town is hoping to have all of its approvals in time for a July 4 weekend opening.The new beach, which the town purchased with Purchase of Development Rights funds, has to receive approvals from the Orange County Department of Health. Those take time and are in the process, according to Supervisor Michael Sweeton. Water testing is being done and should be back by the end of the month. In the meantime, the town has another beach off Gamache Lane in Greenwood Lake that is indeed open on weekends. It will open weekdays as well after the July 4 holiday. That beach is leased from the Palisades Interstate Park Commission for $1 per year and has been used for swimming for several years. This year it will also be used for swimming. In future years, according to Sweeton, its use may change. It would have to be negotiated with Palisades, he said, but boating may be a possibility now that the town has a new swimming area. The new beach, which cost $875,000, sits closer to the Village of Greenwood Lake "People are anxious for the new beach to open," Sweeton said. "We are all looking forward to it."