By ALEX MALM

Last year due to staff shortages not all Warwick beaches were able to have lifeguards every day.

This year Bev Wiley, the Director of Parks and Recreation said that the City Park and Oakland Beach are able to be staffed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with Conimicut staffed with lifeguards from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Wiley said that the City decided to have more lifeguard classes running three classes in the late winter and early spring.

“We ran extra lifeguard classes,” said Wiley.

Last year was also the first time in many years that the City charged for beach parking passes. Wiley said that last year the City got a late start but this year passes went on sale in May. Wiley said the first weekend there were a lot of people lined up to get their passes.

Since then Wiley said that people have continued to purchase passes.

“It's been steady,” said Wiley.

Wiley said she had no prediction for how much the City may bring in this year through the beach parking fees.

Wiley said that this year the City will also have more beach fee collectors which was a challenge last year.

“We had more people apply for the beach fee collectors,” said Wiley.

Season passes are available for purchase at the Warwick Public Library on Sandy Lane during their normal business hours. The passes can be purchased with cash or check and daily passes are sold at the beach.

The cost for a season pass for Warwick residents is $20 per car and is $40 for non-residents. Wiley said that because the City receives federal funds for the beaches it is required that both City and non-city residents are charged.

Passes for residents who are seniors, Veterans or are disabled is $10 per car and $20 for non-residents.

The cost for a daily pass for residents is $5 per car while non-residents are $10. Residents who are seniors, Veterans, or disabled are $3 and $6 for non-residents.