Passes to the Town Beach at Center Pond (via Mecum Way) for Becket and Washington residents are available for $10 at Town Hall. Lifeguards will be on duty weekends only beginning Memorial Day and daily from 10am to 5:30pm beginning June 15th (except during inclement weather). Passes should be hung from vehicle rearview mirrors in order to be clearly seen by the gate attendant.
Don’t wait to register your kids for the Becket Parks and Recreation Summer Day Camp. The free program runs Mondays through Thursdays from 10am to 3pm beginning Monday, July 8th and ending Thursday, August 15th. Held at the Becket Center Pavilion for children ages 6 to 12, activities include games, sports and arts and crafts. Weather permitting, one day each week will be spent at the Town Beach and another at North Becket Village Park with programs presented by the Athenaeum and Arts Center. To register, call Town Secretary Beverly Gilbert at 623-8934. For questions, call Rita Furlong at 623-5146.
Free swimming lessons for residents of all ages and capabilities will be held at the Town Beach daily from 10am to 12pm from July 8th through August 15th. Conducted by the lifeguards, swimming levels and ongoing times will be determined at the start of each session. It’s never too late to learn this important safety- and confidence-building skill. Summer Day Camp enrollees are welcome to attend on Camp beach days or another day with transportation provided by a parent or guardian. To register, call Town Secretary Beverly Gilbert at 623-8934.
Bean Bag Baseball comes to Becket beginning with an exhibition on Sunday June 9th from 1pm to 3pm and then running each Monday starting on June 17th from 6pm to 9pm at the Becket Center Pavilion. Not familiar with Bean Bag Baseball? It’s a little like cornhole but with more opportunities to score and base walking to a seat rather than a bag. Players just need to be able to throw a bean bag 17 feet. Local Mo Vandesteene, a member of the Parks and Recreation Committee, calls it “a competitive team game for people of all ages to come together and have a great time.” Teams and individuals can sign up at the June 9th exhibition. For more information, call Mo at (413) 329-7079.
Earth Day has come and gone but an awful lot of roadside trash is still hanging around. Fast food containers, beer and nip bottles and other garbage are visible around town. You can play a role in the cleanup. Purple trash bags are available for free at Town Hall and accepted for free at the Transfer Station. Consider starting small and pick up the roadside in front of your residence. Or if you know a favorite dumping spot, take a section and gather the trash there. Think of it as an activity to accompany your walk or hike. And if you’ve posted signs on the road or along trees or poles, please go back and remove them so they don’t become roadside trash. Let’s keep Becket green and beautiful.
