Mobile Site

Home » News Stream » Local »

New Dauphin Island Beach Opens Saturday

Video

Enlarge Video

Download Video

Video RSS

Embed:

WKRG.com Related Resources

News –› Alabama

News –› Dauphin Island

Discuss this in the forum

By Chad Petri Reporter

M50o93H7pQ09L8X1t49cHY01Z5j4TT91fGfr New Dauphin Island Beach Opens Saturday

Published: Thu, June 19, 2008 - 4:04 am
Last Updated: Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 1:49 am

Chad Petri

The west end of Dauphin Island is almost ready for more traffic. The new beach promises stands for food, snacks, ice and water craft rentals.

“When people come in and they have to go out get food, or bring things in that are heavy to carry it's easier for them if they just have it here available,” Dauphin Island Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mary Scarcliff.

The new beach will have lifeguards too.

“A lot of folks want to come and enjoy the day with their family and they can be more comfortable that they're children are going to be safe when they're swimming they don't have to be so concerned about safety issues,” says Dauphin Island Mayor Jeff Collier.

Parking will cost you $20 here. At the island's other public beach, it's still free. While some might pause at the price, others are fine with it.

“I think it would just be a safer environment for everyone to go,” says beach goer Pamela Lewis.

People that park at the new west end beach will be driving on the sand; you don't have to worry about your car getting stuck because this geo webbing will be filled with sand instead of using asphalt. Town leaders say the $2,000,000 dollar project may not pay for itself, but they want to bring more people to local businesses.

“Those businesses that need additional traffic coming through and provide additional tax revenues to the town so by bringing more people it's going to help all businesses on the island which will help the island itself,” says Mayor Collier.

News Map

Email to a Friend

Printer Friendly

18 bucks for round trip on the Ferry! I will go to Gulf Shores!

Posted by SumOneILove on 06/19/08 - 11:55 pm • Report Abuse

It must be a very low budget investment for property owners. Nothing is even mentioned on any of the Dauphin Island City or Tourist Websites. What ding bats.

Posted by working4u on 06/19/08 - 1:58 pm • Report Abuse

Maybe they are trying to save up for when it washes away-lol.

Posted by rmseek1234 on 06/19/08 - 1:46 pm • Report Abuse

I still vote for Pensecola beach. You can get beer with more than 6% alcohol in it, and water is CRYSTAL CLEAR. These are things Dauphin Island can’t even begin to offer me.

Posted by KxVx on 06/19/08 - 12:34 pm • Report Abuse

I prefer to visit Orange Beach. I lived in Gulf Shores for several years and I hated to leave. I think the property owners of DI are just trying to take adavantage of the fuel prices situation. That is the mentality on DI. Make a buck off of a bad situation. Dress up a private beach when the public beach should have been dressed up long ago. I will keep my $20 in the tank. DI is only good for fishing anyway. Who wants to get eaten alive by nats, flies and mosquitos anyway?

Posted by working4u on 06/19/08 - 12:23 pm • Report Abuse

yea im with u on that one. i do remember hearing them say THEIR island and we were not welcomed. Im at gulf shores now camping at Doc’s RV camp ground. very nice and quiet. I think i will take my money and take a trip down here again.

Posted by southernpride7 on 06/19/08 - 11:49 am • Report Abuse

OK, so today they WANT our business? I thought the mentality from other threads was this was THEIR private island, visitors not welcome. Or perhaps charging $20 to park is just their passive-aggressive way of telling people to stay away. My $20 will go for gas too, but not to drive to DI-maybe I’ll go to Gulf Shores instead. They sure are “proud” of their island aren’t they?

Posted by rmseek1234 on 06/19/08 - 11:25 am • Report Abuse

Back in the late 60’s DI had it’s puplic beach set up the same way. Very nice atmosphere, Public RR, concession stands, outside showers, life guards and etc. Of course there was a large hotel and many stores and fast food places that cateored to tourist on the Island. Hurricane Camelle ended that and since, nothing has taken off in a similiar way. Back then “going to the Gulf” was a trip to the Dauphin Island beaches. You could pull off of the DI bridge on to a camp ground and swim or have a picnic. I remember it being so packed at the public beach you had to go down to the west end and park 1/2 mile and walk to the end of the road to get to another beach. On some weekends the Dauphin Island bridge was backed up a mile or so. You could pull off and park on the shoulder of the bridge or road and fish all day and all night. During the ALDSFR there was not a vacant room to be found on the Island. It was an Island party 24hrs. It would be nice to see those “Hay days” down there again.

Posted by working4u on 06/19/08 - 10:45 am • Report Abuse

HAHAHAHA. too funny. I told my husband there was a new beach open in DI and he said nice. I said it’s $20 to park. He says. Is it a NUDE beach??? LOL but yea on a serious note I think I will put that $20 in gas.

Posted by southernpride7 on 06/19/08 - 9:40 am • Report Abuse

$20 for parking...on SAND? Are they going to wash my car? Have free vacuum use?
I think I’ll be putting that $20 in my tank and going to the beach in P’cola!

Posted by KxVx on 06/19/08 - 9:37 am • Report Abuse