Holiday Weekend Gives Rye Town Park a Revenue Boost

The triple-digit heat wasn't the only thing setting records over the recent July 4 weekend.

Rye Town Park set a record for gross revenue over the same period, as the sweltering heat sent the "staycation" crowd to the park and Oakland Beach in droves.

Despite fewer parking spots and the new increased and differential parking and beach access fees for residents and non-residents, less proved to be more with attendance down but cash receipts up.

In fact, the park's total revenue was up $214,671 over the same period last year, rising to $476, 786 this year as compared to $262,115 last year, according to figures provided by the Town of Rye. The town has not released figures for its expenses, so it isn't yet known whether the park is running ahead or below the $90,000 deficit it had last year. 

As the season progresses with more heat predicted for this weekend, the park seems to have improved its efforts at  safety, security and providing appropriate signage for motorists looking for a place to park.

The Rye Town Park Commission, which includes the mayors of Rye, Rye Brook and Port Chester, are learning from the park's season opening Memorial Day Weekend mistakes, mistakes that are understandable considering the magnitude of the changes that went into effect, according to Rye Town Supervisor Joseph Carvin. 

The Commission is improving service across the board, according to Rye City Mayor Doug French.

French stressed the number of positives that went into making the weekend a success despite the park have to close its parking lots for short periods of time because of the limited spaces, a consequence of the Commission recently eliminating more than 250 parking spaces after residents expressed concerns that the magnitude of cars could pose a safety concern for pedestrians and young children visiting the park.

"I was in and around the park throughout the four days from Friday to Monday and for the most part everyone was enjoying the weather and the waterfront experience," French said. "The up front planning and co-ordination between Rye Police, Rye Town Park staff and the County seems to have worked, as there was improved traffic flow in and out of park, limited on-street parking violators and a minimal closing of the lot despite high demand and turnover." 

Indeed, several new wrinkles were thrown into the crowd and car control mix at a time when 90 percent of the park's users are from out of the area and may be unfamiliar with Rye City parking procedures in and around Rye Town Park.

For the first time in memory, for example, red and white traffic advisory placards sprouted like leaves on telephone poles and on some curbside trees on streets in and around the park area.

In red, the placards said: EMERGENCY NO PARKING." Beneath that, in white, the placards read: "TOW AWAY ZONE RYE CITY PD."

There were also wooden barriers bearing those placards on the side streets around the park, where signs also said: "NO PARKING MAY 1 to OCT.1," with a warning that violators would be towed at the owner's expense.

Those additional warning signs added to the existing stationary signs resulted in a sharp decrease in the number of tickets issued for illegal parking on streets in and around the park that are deemed beach access areas on Rye City streets.

More than 300 tickets were issued over the Memorial Day Weekend. Those numbers were sharply down over the July 4 weekend, according to French.

"Overall I think the holiday weekend was a very positive experience for the beachgoers, park goers, restaurant goers, dog walkers, fireworks viewers and surrounding residents -- and that is what it is all about," French said.

"Additional park security, parking personnel and signage streamlined much of the crowd control," he continued. "The policies established by the Commission to provide a more safe and fiscally responsible operation seem to be taking hold, and although it will require ongoing evaluation, the change is headed in the right direction."

"I too was at the park over the holiday weekend and everything seemed to run smoothly," said Bishop Nowotnik, special assistant to Supervisor Carvin.  "We did have record revenues for the weekend, mostly due to the absolutely great weather and the price increases put in place by the Commission."

"The business model does appear to be working as designed. We have successfully restricted parking by capping [the number of] cars," he continued. "So we know that we have less visitors in the park, yet revenue has grown from last year. This has been handled in a very controlled manner and appears to have contributed to a much safer environment."

For example, there was a barrier closing off Dearborn Avenue from Forest Avenue to handle the overflow traffic exiting the park after the July 5 fireworks display.

Throughout the weekend, there was also an increased police and park security presence directing the traffic flow along the main Rye Town Park drag along Forest Avenue, from Rye Beach Avenue to Oakland Beach and Dearborn Avenues. That too was an improvement from the Memorial Day weekend.

On the Memorial Day weekend, for example, someone from the park waved traffic on without direction as to the location of alternative parking when the park's parking lot was full, this Patch writer observed.

That has changed now. Signs are posted saying the parking lot is full when that is the case, with alternative signs posted saying: "Additional Parking Available at Playland. "

Attendants are also instructed to say additional parking is usually available at the Metro North commuter train parking lot on weekends with buses regularly running to Playland and the vicinity of Rye Town Park. Police also have installed a blinking electronic light that advises incoming drivers about the park's parking status and gives alternatives and safety advisories.

With the weekend looming, those red and white traffic advisory signs are gone, disappearing from the area on Wednesday. Rye Town Park is bracing for another possible record revenue weekend, as the forecast calls for more warm weather. Things may still get better, parking-wise, at Rye Town Park in the future, according to officials.

"We are exploring professional parking services (something that was used successfully at Playland over the July 4 weekend) and have an RFP [request for proposals] out to conduct an analysis in the fall," according to French.

The new differential parking prices, which increased the weekend parking price to $15 for non-residents, remains a work-in-progress for Rye Town Park, French said, with nothing set in stone as the Commission continues studying what is best for the park as it also analyzes how the new procedures are faring.