To the editor:

I recently discovered a post on a local Facebook group about current plans for the new Warren Town Beach/Burrs Hill Park concession stand, bathrooms, and office.

I’ve been excited about the renovations coming since they were announced some time back. Having first hand experience of the upkeep of those buildings, and the conditions they are in, it is clear the time has come for a new structure at our beloved Water Street summer hangout. While excited for renovations, I was disappointed to see the recreation department and the town of Warren are presenting plans of…storage containers?

After reviewing my geographical locations, I assured myself that the Providence steel yard hadn’t washed ashore the Warren Town Beach. So, what’s the deal with the storage containers? A quick google search for Summer Cottage Beach Concession Stands instantly brought up the vibe of Warren, perhaps this solves the architectural dilemma.

Before the concept of the swimming pools, Warren Town Beach was the place to be from Memorial Day to Labor Day. If you didn’t have a blanket down by 8 a.m, there was a good chance you weren’t getting a spot on the beach. From a packed beach on a hot summer day, to now a shoreline being inundated with kayaks, canoes, and row boats, the entire beach has changed.

Through the years, the beach has changed, most notably the beach front renovation from Campbell Street to Bridge Street roughly ten years ago. The south end renovation took out the charm of the town beach and nothing has replaced it since.

The Warren Town Beach brought folks from all over Rhode Island and the south coast of Massachusetts. While I am sure those folks are still coming, we have such a beautiful area to continue to build and boast our park, our beach, and our small coastal town. By putting storage containers at Burrs Hill Park, our coastal New England vibe is forever gone.

I applaud the Recreation Department for their valiant efforts to keep equipment in good working order for the residents and non residents to use. I also applaud their efforts of finding the new structure they find fitting of the beach, however, I hope they listen to the residents. I encourage all town residents who would like to voice their opinion, for or against the proposed structures, to please attend the public meeting on Thursday, March 31, at 7 p.m. in the gym of Mary V. Quirk.

Though my career path has brought me outside of Rhode Island, my love for the town of Warren runs as deep as the Warren River, that love will never leave no matter what happens in my hometown.

Joseph Burns
550 Courtwood Lane
Hendersonville, N.C.
Lifetime Warrenite