News

May 06, 2023

Gloucester gears up out

A new parking lot attendant’s booth sits near the entrance of Good Harbor Beach

A new parking lot attendant's booth sits near the entrance of Good Harbor Beach before being installed. The new booth will feature automated plate readers for out-of-town beachgoers, who pay online.

With Memorial Day just 10 days away, the system for out-of-town beach parking reservations at Gloucester's Good Harbor and Wingaersheek beaches and Stage Fort Park is scheduled to go live on Thursday, May 18, the city's IT director, Ryan Knowles, said.

This is the second year in a row the seaport will be using an online system to manage out-of-town beach parking reservations, instead of the past practice of selling nonresident stickers or taking cash at the gates.

The former first-come, first-serve system led to beachgoers from all over driving to Gloucester early in the morning in hopes of scoring an available spot. However, this led to plenty of beach traffic and frustration from those turned away when the lots filled up early.

Reservations for out-of-towners are now required and can be made up to 10 days in advance, but there are no refunds. However, those who have reservations are guaranteed a spot, though a technical hiccup one week last summer led to the beaches being oversold.

This beach season, Knowles said, the city is piloting the Blinkay parking management platform that includes both a mobile app and website.

Knowles said one advantage of Blinkay is the ability to use a mobile app, making it easier to book a reservation on a mobile phone, as opposed to last year's Yodel platform the was primarily web-based.

Knowles said the overall advantages of the Blinkay include:

Last year, Knowles said, attendants had to scan license plates using cell phones, which was sometimes difficult due to glare from the sun or a phone battery that might die.

The plate readers, Knowles said, will help give attendants an idea of parking capacity, so when beachgoers leave, the system will give them information as to whether they can open up spaces for late-afternoon discount sales.

"The reservation system was an overwhelming success last year," said Mayor Greg Verga in an email. "We have been able to dramatically decrease traffic, reduce overcrowding and eliminate the stress of driving to Gloucester only to be turned away at the gate. Implementing efficient systems can have a positive impact on so many pieces of city government, and I am proud of how successful this new system has been. I am looking forward to the coming beach season."

The cost for out-of-town cars to park at Stage Fort Park is $20 on weekdays and $25 on weekends and holidays. Out-of-town reservations at Good Harbor and Wingaersheek beaches are $30 on weekdays and $35 on weekends and holidays. Users will also have to pay a small convenience fee.

Resident beach parking sticker sales return in-person

Due to a small fire in City Hall on Dale Avenue on May 3, and the need to remediate smoke damage in the Kyrouz Auditorium, the city's ability to sell resident beach stickers in person was curtailed for a time, but that will change on Monday, May 22, at 8:30 a.m.

This is when stickers will be for sale in the old children's library of the Sawyer Free Library at 2 Dale Ave.

Residents are being directed to enter the library from the lower entrance and begin the application process on a laptop in the children's library. Once residents have entered their information, including their vehicle information, on the laptop, they will bring their documents to be verified by staff and then pay.

Residents are required to bring their car registration and pay by check only. Checks should be made out to the "City of Gloucester."

The city also has an online portal to accept beach sticker applications for residents, seniors and seasonal renters (60 or more consecutive days). The link to the application can be found at: https://bit.ly/3M53PRA.

The cost for a resident sticker, which is valid for one year, is $20, and there's a discounted senior resident beach sticker available.. A seasonal renter sticker costs $100.

Paper applications will not be accepted by mail or in person as all applications must be completed through the online platform.

Hours for in-person sales are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

You may contact [email protected] or 978-325-5157 with questions.

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