Bayville beaches to remain open, at least technically speaking

When Gov. Andrew Cuomo directed marinas, boatyards and marine manufacturers to open for personal use on April 18 in New York, joining similar Connecticut and New Jersey protocols, he also paved the way for Bayville’s beaches to do the same, because of its relative location to the facilities.

But Bayville Mayor De Natale said that while the beaches are technically now open, playgrounds will remain closed. A decision will be made later, he said.

The official opening day for the village’s beaches is June 15, when lifeguards will take to their stands. But, De Natale said, he is not certain there would be an opening.

“Hopefully people will abide by the social distancing protocols and do what they need to do,” said David Wright, Bayville’s deputy mayor. “We do have a code enforcement officer that is checking that people are doing what they’re supposed to do.” 

Code enforcement will also ticket beachgoers who are not residents of Bayville, Wright said. The beaches have always been only for the village’s residents. 

Not all residents agree that Bayville’s beaches should open now, officially or unofficially. Bill Costa, a resident and member of Bayville Centre Island Rotary, said that he is worried that social distancing would not be practiced, adding that an unofficial opening should be in late May.

Also, the villages’ beaches are different, he said. Officials should use discretion on when and how each beach is opened. 

John Oddo, of Bayville, said he has the same concerns. On his drives, he has seen Centre Island Beach packed with people and Bayville Avenue lined with parked cars.

“At this point, with the cases still inclining, I don’t see how they can [open the beaches] without anyone getting sick,” Oddo said. “It seems that people aren’t taking this seriously, especially at the beach.” 

Bayville has had 142 cases of Covid-19, according to data provided by the Nassau County Department of Information.

Oddo, a photographer, enjoys going down to the beach to capture sunsets, lightning and the Independence Day fireworks. But now he said he’s been remaining home out of concern for his 82-year-old father. “I just want people to take this seriously,” he said, “I don’t want people to get hurt.” 

Cuomo announced his Phased Plan to reopen the state on April 26. Based on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations, a region can begin a phased re-opening once it experiences a 14-day decline in hospitalization. In Nassau County, according to the State Department of Health, on April 1 there were 1,033 people who tested positive for Covid-19 out of 1,908. Two hundred and twenty people tested positive on April 27 of the 1,499 tests given. 

The governor said that the plan to re-open would be coordinated throughout the state, especially in the downstate region. He recommended the coordination of parks and beach openings, among other facilities and amenities. 

As of now, Wright said, Bayville is following state orders.