Get Your Beach Pass Early, Save Some Green

The Department of Environmental Management's Division of Parks and Recreation is selling season beach parking passes at 2010 rates at its Johnston headquarters and at three state beach locations in South County. The 2010 cost for a resident season pass is $30, and the cost for a season pass for a resident senior citizen is $15. Passes can be purchased at:

• DEM Parks & Recreation Headquarters, 2321 Hartford Pike, Johnston; from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Sales at Johnston headquarters are limited to cash or check only.
• Scarborough North, Roger Wheeler, and Misquamicut state beaches; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, May 21 and 22, weather permitting. All forms of payment (including credit cards) accepted.

DEM will continue to charge the 2010 rates for daily parking and season passes until proposed fee changes take effect, which is expected to take place in early June. As always, fees are for parking only; there is no cost for anyone to walk onto a state beach.

For questions about the beach passes, call DEM's Parks Headquarters at 222-2632.