Parks and Rec Report for last weekend: “This was a super busy holiday weekend with a total of 580 launches. Weather was very hot each day.

Friday, July 3 – 213 total launches, car parking did was full by 9am and remained sporadically available throughout the remainder of the day.  The overflow lot was used for 41 vehicles with trailers. The main trailer lot was full by 840am, and the overflow lot was full by 930am. Barricades were deployed, signs changed to full and the text alert was activated at that time. Staff also called dispatch to inform VBPD that the ramp was full. Weather was very hot with little wind.

Saturday, July 4 – 212 total launches, car parking did fill up around 815am and had limited availability throughout the day full. The overflow lot was used for approximately 40-45 vehicles with trailers. We did close the facility to trucks and trailers around 11:15am using the barricades and reopened around 2:10pm. VBPD was notified that the ramp was closed to trucks and trailers. All signage was changed at that time to indicate we were full.  Text alert system was utilized.

Sunday, July 5 –  155 total launches, car parking did fill up around 10am and there was limited available parking throughout the day. The overflow lot was used for approximately 12-19 vehicles with trailers. We did have to close the facility, and barricade operations were not implemented this day

Incidents:

Friday – A person that was recovering their trailer drove their vehicle at a high rate of speed through the boat ramp recovery area. Staff stated that the area was full of pedestrians and this created a safety issue. Staff asked the person, which ended up being a teenager, to slow down and the teen claimed he was not driving too fast. His father later came over, and staff tried to speak to him, but he was verbally abusive and threatened staff before recovering his boat and leaving.

 Friday – When facility was closed staff witnessed a vehicle with trailer try and make a U-turn on East Stradford and Tazwell Roads.

Notes:

The VBPD officers on ATV’s continue riding through our facility and talking to staff regarding any issues as part of the VBPD summer ops plans.  

According to staff, the new Text Alert system and digital signs are helping with the overall issues at the facility.  As of July 6, approximately 400 people have opted in to receive the alerts. Out of the 580 launches we had over the holiday weekend, staff feel that we had about approximately 30 trucks and trailers, for that same period, that were turned away that had turned from Shore Drive without paying attention to the full signs.

Staff continue to deal with uncooperative boaters when the boaters are launching and recovering their boats.

Parking Enforcement:

Date Range: Friday, July 3 to Monday, July 6, 2026

Total Citation Count: 35

Total Read Count:      378    (this is the number of vehicles scanned during enforcement visits)“