"Well, we're never doing this again!" exclaimed a mother of three last Saturday on Main Street in Niantic. This family of five, walking back from Hole-in-the-Wall beach — were illegally turned away because they were not town residents. We watched them load their blankets and chairs into their minivan and drive away.

OK, let's set aside the Connecticut Supreme Court's decision — picky, picky, picky — do you think this family is coming back to Niantic anytime soon? Did they feel so good about our town they will consider buying their next house here? Or meet friends for dinner here?

If we wanted to live in the kind of town that illegally limits water access to the public, we would have moved to one of those other shoreline towns that like their beaches fenced. We love that Niantic is for everyone — and isn't regional tourism a reliable economic source for our Main Street businesses? The Boardwalk has welcomed so many people downtown, why start turning them away now? It hurts our town more in the long run than any short-term gain of beach space.

Entrance should be first come, first served.

Patricia and Alvin Sher

Niantic