Booze Temporarily Banned At 10 CT Recreation Spots

Visitors to several state parks and recreation areas this summer will have to leave the booze at home.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, or DEEP, announced this week it is imposing a temporary alcohol ban for 10 state recreation areas.

The department said it decided to impose the ban due to increased crowding and alcohol consumption. These have contributed to misconduct, unruly behavior, property damage, trespassing, and complaints from visitors and surrounding communities, according to DEEP.

DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said the temporary alcohol bans will support Environmental Conservation Police and state park staff in “maintaining a safe, respectful, and welcoming environment for all visitors.”

“Connecticut’s state parks, forests, and boat launches are places where everyone, including families and children, should feel welcome, safe, and able to enjoy the outdoors,” Dykes said.

The ban is in effect from today, May 20, through August 17.

The 10 locations impacted include:

• Gardner Lake State Park and State Boat Launch, Salem
• Paugusset State Forest (Upper Section)/George Waldo State Park, Southbury
• Wadsworth Falls State Park, Middletown/Middlefield
• Lake Waramaug State Park, New Preston
• Quaddick State Park, Thompson
• Beach Pond Boat Launch, Voluntown, including a portion of Pachaug State Forest, bordered by Beach Pond Boat Launch to the west, private property, held in trust, to the east, and Beach Pond to the south, to an area 500 yards from shore
• Billings Lake Boat Launch, North Stonington, including a portion of Pachaug State Forest, bordered by the Billings Lake Boat Launch to the east, private property to the west, north along the private property, then west to private property, then south to the shore of Billings Lake and east along the shore to the Billings Lake Boat Launch
• Naugatuck State Forest, Naugatuck, Oxford and Beacon Falls, to include the areas commonly known as Seymour Reservoirs #1, # 2, #3, and #4 and the lands immediately surrounding the reservoirs
• Pattaconk Recreation Area (Cockaponset State Forest), Chester
• A section of Rocky Neck State Park, including the area south of the train tracks, west of the beach area and bound by Long Island Sound to the south and western border of the park, not including the Ellie Mitchell Pavilion. The pavilion is a popular event venue and is excluded from the ban. Alcohol is already prohibited at the beach area.