Suffield Beach Opens For Season On Lake Congamond

SUFFIELD, CT — A historic Suffield beach is opening for the summer season.

Babb’s Beach, located on the shores of Lake Congamond, will be open on weekends from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. beginning May 31, according to Suffield Parks & Recreation.

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Gate attendants will be on site during weekend hours. The fee for non-resident vehicles is $20, officials said.

The beach is expected to open seven days a week beginning June 27, with lifeguards and gate attendants on duty. Regular daily hours will be posted later, according to Suffield Parks & Recreation.

Residents are also asked to check suffieldrec.com for weather- and water-related closings.

Babb’s Beach is a town-owned property operated by Suffield Parks & Recreation, according to the town’s Babb’s Beach and Lake Congamond webpage.

The site has deep local history. Beginning in the late 1890s, the Babb family operated a summer lake resort on the shores of Lake Congamond, according to the town.

The current roller skating rink was built around 1930 as a dance hall and hosted well-known musicians during the Big Band era, according to the town webpage.

In 1977, the Babb family donated the roughly 7-acre property to the Town of Suffield. Nelson Babb had a life-use agreement and continued to operate the skating rink until 1996, according to the town.

Babb’s Beach was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 21, 2006. The town made extensive improvements in 2016 and officially reopened the park and beach to the public in 2017, according to the town webpage.