Should Drinking Be Allowed at Esker Point Beach?

Should Groton allow alcohol at town-sponsored events like concerts at Esker Point Beach, or should it be banned?

That’s the question the Town Council grappled with Tuesday and will consider again in two weeks.

At issue are new regulations suggested by the Parks and Recreation Commission that would label parks, beaches, trails and other facilities  “family-friendly,” and prohibit smoking, tobacco, drugs, beer, wine and other alcohol. 

Groton also has an ordinance that forbids alcohol at town-sponsored events, though it has not been enforced.

Last summer, police officers began educating people about the ordinance. During concerts at Esker Point Beach, they stopped concert goers carrying in obvious, large quantities of alcohol and asked them to return the alcohol to their cars, Town Manager Mark Oefinger said. Police didn't check coolers and other containers, but issued informal warnings when it applied.

Enforcement could begin this year, Oefinger said.

Councilor Bruce Flax said he's gone to concerts at the beach for years and hasn't found them problematic. He said it's well-known that people bring beer and wine.

“I don’t know how you can say it’s an alcohol-free event, and everyone’s drinking,” he said.

Oefinger said if the town council doesn't want regulations forbidding alcohol in parks, then it should also change Groton's ordinance prohibiting alcohol at town-sponsored events. He added that the tenor of concerts at Esker Point Beach has changed over the years and is affected by the band that plays. The younger the band, the younger the crowd, the more drinking occurs, he said.

“Some of them were just absolute beer fests,” he said.

Mayor Heather Somers said the question is whether the council believes people should be allowed to bring beer and wine to a public place and behave responsibly. She said the rule should apply to all parks, not just one beach.

The proposed change grew partly from a discussion a couple of years ago about people smoking at playgrounds like Poquonnock Plains Park. The Parks and Recreation Commission approved a no-smoking rule in March 2011, and posted "Please Don't Smoke" signs shortly after at local parks and playgrounds.

The council plans to ask Town Police Chief Michael Crowley how many people police stopped at Esker Point Beach last year to get an idea of the scope of the problem. Councilors also plan to ask the legal department whether the town would incur additional liability by allowing drinking at town-sponsored events.

The council will discuss the issue again at its March 26 meeting.