Recently we had the pleasure of spending a few hours on the lovely beach at Ashfield Lake. The setting is gorgeous, the beach relatively large, and the lake water refreshing.
There were many others enjoying the site: singles, families, young and old, and many small children. We live in Williamsburg, like Ashfield a wonderful town, but without even a pond to call its own. The lake at the nearby DAR State Park is one nice option for us, but the beach there is far smaller than that in Ashfield.
We noted with interest the Gazette article in July on the complaints of some Ashfield residents that their beach is open to all, not just town citizens. The main complaint seems to be the scarcity of parking in the beach lot. We can understand this issue, but at the same time we want to praise the openness of Ashfielders to outsiders like us whose options for swimming are limited.
Here is a suggestion that might help mollify the town members, who, after all, support the beach with their tax dollars: Outsiders who use the beach free of charge can make a cash contribution into the slot already provided for this purpose on the door of the beach house. While this does not solve the parking problem, it is a way to thank the citizens of Ashfield for their generosity.
John and
Marianna Connolly
Haydenville