Letter to the Editor — The ocean should be available to all citizens

April 12, 2019
By Maureen Egan — South Kingstown, RI — I read with interest in the Narragansett Times of April 5, 2019 the controversy of surfers being able to park along the street, at Pilgrim  and Conant Avenues in the Point Judith section of the town .  The Egan family, both immediate and extended had the pleasure of living on the corner of Louse and Calef Avenues since the 1940’s.  Unfortunately we were forced to sell this prime property in 2004 following the death of the Matriarch, Anna Egan.  This issue of surfer’s parking began in the 1970’s when the high waves at the Light House and just beyond Conant Ave were discovered.  At that time it was the families with young children who were concerned about the increase in traffic on the streets filled with barefoot, tanned youngsters who were climbing on the rocks and swimming regularly in the water’s edge.

No parking signs were erected  at Pilgrim and Conant Avenues.  The right-of-way to the ocean at Louise and Calef was not  posted but we all knew it was an open access.  The neighbors  speculated that it was not posted because the neighboring homes had planted grass over the street giving the appearance of larger personal lots.  Any stranger to the area would not know that it was part of the street.

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