Fun in the sun: Parlee Beach welcomes visitors

New Brunswick extended the tourism season at Parlee Beach until October to encourage more visitors.

While a rainy June may have kept people away from the provincial parks, it appears attendance is picking up at New Brunswick’s Parlee Beach.

“Better start to July than June,” said Parlee Beach Provincial Park Manager Michel Mallet. “We’re already seeing people coming to the beach especially today. It’s sunny, you can see all the blue umbrellas on the beach so it’s definitely better this month.”

The park attracts over 300,000 visitors each year on average.

In April, the province extended the tourism season at the beach until Oct. 12 in hopes more tourists would visit.

Mallet said they’ve added a new beach bar to the east end and the volleyball courts have new sand, but there’s something in particular the province wants to focus on.

A new entry process at the main gate will help park officials understand where tourists are coming from.

It will also get visitors in the park quicker.

“We encourage people to buy their daily pass online in advance by going to the website,” explained Mallet. “They can click on the daily permit, and they can buy their permit in advance and get on the right lane. The more people that use it, the faster and smoother it’s going to go as they learn the new system.”

As far as the no swimming advisories that have plagued Parlee Beach for the past few years, Monday was the first time this season a warning had been issued due to a sample result of high levels of bacteria.

“We’ve been lucky that swimming has been good since the beginning of the season,” said Mallet.

Shediac restaurant Le Moque-Tortue opened a take-out on the east side of the beach last summer and this year they’ve added a new beach bar.

After a poor month of June, manager Guy Fougere said things are getting busy.

“Oh my God, yes. A lot more people. Actually, the parking lot was full, there was a lot of people on the beach. Everything is going good so far,” said Fougere.

The Pointe-du-Chêne Wharf hosts between 250,000 and 300,000 guests every summer.

The Sandbar Owner Rob Taylor said last month was statistically one of the worst months of June on record for rainfall since the mid 1980s.

He said while it was slower than usual in June, things have rebounded very nicely.

“Business is great. The whole area. Shediac, Parlee Beach, Pointe-du-Chêne is in great shape. We’re optimistic. There’s a lot of people staying around Canada these days and we still have lots of friends from down south coming to see us,” said Taylor.

Shediac Bay Cruises owner Paul Moores said he’s noticed more people on the wharf lately.

“It’s similar to last year. We didn’t have a great June last year either, but some of the locals, tourists travelling through have been getting onboard because we go rain or shine. But with the sun shinning in, we’ve certainly seen an uptick,” said Moores.

Chantal Cormier visits from Rhode Island with her family every summer.

“We visit family. We like the beaches and it’s a good time,” said Cormier.

Taylor said he’s lived in Shediac all his life and it’s a special place in the summer time.

“My parents had a cottage when we were kids and my family has owned restaurants on the wharf since I was 10,” said Taylor. “There’s nothing like being around the wharf and Shediac in general in the summers. It’s the best place in the world.”

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