by Tom Lynch
My wife Karen and I became weekend visitors to Becket after buying a home here in 1999. Like many once-in-a-while, citified visitors, we bought into an association with its own lake. Consequently, we never knew Becket had a beach and picnic area for residents. But last year, we moved from weekenders to full-time residents. We’re now trying to learn all about our new town and neighbors, and in our quest, discovered the town beach.
The town beach is about three-tenths of a mile down Mecum Road, which runs off Route 8 about a mile and a half north of the Town Hall. When I got there on a recent Thursday afternoon, the sun was shining, humidity was moderate, a few families were resting on the beach, and 17 campers from the Becket Summer Camp, along with two counselors, appeared to be having the time of their lives in the water and on the beach. The two counselors, Peggy Stewerwald and Jonah Rawson, told me the summer camp kids spend every Thursday at the beach. It seemed the kids wouldn’t mind a couple more days every week.
I spoke with Sheffield Drewry, a sophomore at Boston College, who is now in her fourth season as a beach lifeguard. She and Riley Gladu, a recent graduate of Wahconah High School share the guard duties. The beach is specifically for residents of Becket and Washington, and to use it requires a $10 permit, available at the respective town halls. Residents can purchase two per household. Deb Toomey, one of three gate attendants, told me the site is open year-round, which seemed strange until she added that hardy souls actually swim into November and ice-fish throughout the winter. The beach officially opens for the summer season on Memorial Day weekend and runs through Labor Day, but lifeguards do not begin working until June 15th.
For more than 20 years, Rita Furlong has chaired the Becket Parks & Recreation Committee, which manages and oversees the beach. This summer, Rita and her committee wanted to attack two problems: beach erosion and accessibility to the walk-on dock. She and the Committee seem to have solved both problems with the purchase and installation of a Mobi-Mat, which is a portable solid mat that extends from the driveway to the walk-on dock over the water. It allows people with mobility issues to make it to the dock for the first time. But in addition, the mat mitigates the beach’s constant erosion problems. Rita got the idea for the mat after seeing one on Cape Cod.
Last week, Rita Furlong gave up her long service as Committee Chair and passed the baton to Mo Vandesteene, co-owner of the Route 8 Pub. He has big shoes to fill.
We found a beautiful gem at the Becket Beach. It’s there for you, too.
