Middletown To Open Boat Ramp, Town Park Parking Lots

MIDDLETOWN, RI — Middletown is taking steps to open up town resources as part of the state's phased-in reopening of the economy and resources in Rhode Island.

The parking lots at Howland Park and Linden Park were to open on Wednesday.

The town also announced that starting Saturday the Third Beach boat ramp parking lot will be open for all town residents from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Residents wishing to use the ramp will be asked to present an ID proving that they are a Middletown resident.

There will be no fee for residents to park in the lot at this time.

The state remains in phase one of the what Gov. Gina Raimondo has described as a "slow and steady" reopening. She said in her new conferences on Tuesday and Wednesday that additional services and businesses could reopen as part as phase two as early as June 1, but that only two state beaches will be open for Memorial Day.

"We felt it was important to have some opening of beaches as a symbol," Gov. Raimondo said on Wednesday. "But I want to remind you that it, in some ways, is a symbolic opening. ... But please don't congregate, don't stay too long, no big groups."

The limit of the social gatherings remains five through the end of phase one.

"This weekend is not the weekend to have throw a big party," Raimondo said. "This is not the weekend to have a barbecue. ... If you do that, two or three weeks from now we're going to have a problem."