Spaulding Pond Beach in Norwich to close Aug. 19

Norwich – The Spaulding Pond Beach at Mohegan Park will close Sunday after a summer that featured a new bathhouse, new beach sand and attendance expected to top 4,000 by this weekend.

Although summer weather could hang around for weeks to come, Norwich Recreation Director C. Roger Moss said his lifeguards will be returning to college and will not be available. Moss said he needs a staff of at least three lifeguards, but would only have two available lifeguards after this weekend.

Moss said the new pre-fab metal bathhouse and new sand improved the beach facility, and the hot weather attracted crowds. The beach only had to close on one day for high bacteria counts, and only closed early for bad weather twice.

The beach hosted camp and church groups, as well as public patrons throughout the summer.  “We had a good summer this year,” head lifeguard Kaitlin O’Connell said. “I was really happy with all of my guards. They did a very good job.”

Moss said he was able to add a soda vending machine to the new bathhouse and next year will add a snack machine as well.