Residents looking for a reprieve from their homes — especially those who enjoy being near water — have been given the OK to head toward the town’s two public swimming locations.

The beach at Eichler’s Cove and the pool at Treadwell Memorial Park have opened for the season. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, each had delayed openings, June 18 and June 23, before the beach and pool, respectively, were available for public use.

In addition to purchasing season — or even weekly or daily — passes to use the facilities, residents this season must also create parking reservations before heading to either location. This helps Parks & Recreation staff maintain the social distancing measures put in place before either location could open.

On June 22, lifeguard Maya Renkert said the beach seemed busier than usual during its first few days of operations.

“Everything has been fine, though,” said Renkert, who is working her second summer as a lifeguard for the town.

Assistant Waterfront Director Melissa Nowak agreed, saying those who were visiting the public beach were working with staff to understand the new safety measures in place.

“The reservations system was a little bumpy at first, but it’s working better now,” Nowak noted. “We had a few walk-ins, but we are encouraging people to do reservations.”

At Eichler’s Cove beach, this means residents can reserve one of ten available “boxes” that are currently available. Each box — a designated area on the beach, outlined with yellow caution tape and identified by a numbered flag — can be reserved for a two-hour time frame, Nowak said.

“There’s no back-to-back right now, just to give as many people as possible time here,” she explained. “We know people like to just sit all day sometimes, and it’s tough to tell them they have to go.”

So far, she added, residents have been understanding about the limited time they can stay at the cove.

Residents arriving at the Old Bridge Road property are just happy to be out of their homes, she mentioned.

“People are enjoying a way to get out of the house. Parents have been thanking us for that,” Nowak said.

Dave Fodor, who was working at the gate at Eichler’s on Monday, agreed.

“Things are going good here,” he said. “People don’t have too many places to go, so they’re coming to the beach or going on a boat.”

As he spoke, a group of eight young adults checked in with him before heading toward one of the boat slips on the marina side of the property.

“A few people didn’t know about or understand the new system,” he said after the group passed him. “We just ask everyone to look into reservations before the next time they visit.”

Town Pool Open

The pool at Treadwell Park opened at 11 am, June 23, and residents were ready.

Chris Pearson, an assistant waterfront director who was at the Philo Curtis Road location Tuesday afternoon, said there was a line at the door when he and other staff members opened a few hours earlier.

“We’re happy to be open, and people coming in are definitely happy,” he said. “They’ve been cooped up for a while.”

Upon arrival, guests now check in with a lifeguard stationed just inside the building’s entrance. All are escorted through the women’s locker room for a quick rinse-off shower, and then escorted to the pool deck.

Guests this season are to arrive already wearing their bathing suits; full showers are not being permitted, and the changing spaces in each locker room are not available.

New signage on the fencing that surrounds the pool indicates a singular direction of travel around the pool. Signs also indicate where guests should and should not place towels, chairs, etc, to mark their space during their visits.

When they depart, guests exit by way of the men’s locker room, where they can rinse off on their way out of the facility. Lockers are not available in either room.

The toddler pool at Treadwell, Pearson said, remains closed indefinitely.

By mid-Tuesday afternoon, it was clear families had been waiting for the pool to reopen, even with new procedures in place. Children were splashing and laughing, and lifeguards were watching over the water from their chairs.

There were a few wrinkles earlier in the day, Pearson said, but those who arrived for a swim were understanding.

“Eichler’s took a few days to get everything sorted out, and we’re expecting the same here,” he said, adding that overall, “It’s been a great day.”

The online reservation system for both Town of Newtown swimming locations can be accessed through the Parks & Recreation website. Additional information is also available by calling Parks & Rec at 203-270-4340.