Tuesday at 5 p.m., the Waterford Recreation and Parks Commission will hold their regularly scheduled meeting at the Waterford Community Center on Rope Ferry Road.

If you are a Waterford resident who supports lifting the ban of board sports at Waterford Beach, I encourage you to attend. It was not until this past June 25 that many who patronize the beach learned our boogie boards, skim boards, stand up paddle boards, snorkels, floats and kayaks were no longer welcome at the shore due to risk and liability concerns. In a day and age where gun violence and terrorism jolts us to the core, many take comfort in celebrating the simple joys in life and the varied opportunities for recreation our shoreline allows. Our quarter-mile stretch of beach certainly does not produce the rough surf and large waves our neighbors in Rhode Island have become accustomed to, however, all Rhode Island state beaches allow boogie boards and several town beaches in Rhode Island allow skim, paddle, boogie boards, and kayaking.

Ideally, policymakers in Waterford will learn from those who have made it work, and adapt to the changing times. With proper planning and supervision, we can make this work.

Mary Lou Gannotti

Waterford