Village Says No To Evening Yoga and Concerts at the Beach

The was disheartened to learn this week that the Village of Westhampton Beach has informally rejected a request to hold popular evening yoga and concerts at Rogers Beach during the summer.

The village did, however, approve yoga sessions to be held at the beach in the mornings at 8 a.m. as opposed to the 9 a.m. time slot they have had in years past.

"We've been doing concerts and yoga there for years in the evenings and never had a problem," said , director of the library. "We don't understand the controversy. We are  trying to develop a relationship with the village and offer more programs."

Rebecca Molinaro, the village clerk, said the decision was made because the village found "that in prior years, evening and late morning classes were not always conducive to the operation of the concession."

She said, "The concession is permitted to stay open for breakfast and dinner, if he chooses.  It was felt it was unfair to disrupt the concession operation, which the village is paid for."

Earlier this year, the village approved a contract with the Quogue Market, located at 146 Jessup Avenue, Quogue, for the concession through a bidding process. The Quogue Market, according to Mayor Contrad Teller, pays the village $9,000 plus electric in lease fees.

This is the second summer, the village has approved a contract with the Quogue Market, which also has a lease agreement with the Village of Quogue for its concessions.

"The library wanted to have yoga when they close at night or something," said Teller. "He leases to property so it's up to him."

Molinaro said the Quogue Market also requested that they be able to have their own music at the beach.

"The village did allow the concession last year to bring in music, they asked prior to the beginning of the season and have asked again," she said. "The concession operators have the option to bring in music in the evenings with the approval of the beach managers."

As to music this year at the beach, Fred Schoenfeld, owner of the Quogue Market said, "We haven't made a decision yet and we'd have to get village approval for it."

With the yoga decision, Schoenfeld said, "If the village says no, then the answer is no. It is their property. I don't want to get in the middle of it."

The informal decision by the board came on the from the library — to buy four, walk-on beach passes for Rogers Beach to distribute to library patrons.

Zubiller says it just wanted to provide more activities patrons, but said it will not pursue the beach pass request further. She said she is also seeking out other locations for evening yoga and hopes to have at least two summer concerts on the village green as it has in years past. They are awaiting a decision from the board on a third August concert they hope to put on in the green.