Cooler temperatures and heavy precipitation have affected tourism at Culver Beach.
The Park Department charges a fee to enter the beach area, and using dollars and a few visual observations, Park Superintendent Marc Hayden says traffic at the beach is down for the year.
Hayden says weather conditions can ultimately affect the economy of Culver.
“Once people come to the beach, they’ll either go someplace to eat or shop here in town,” says Hayden. “I’d be curious to know how the other people in town have been affected by this, but it’s just been a bummer of a summer, that’s for sure.”
The dynamics of summer may be changing as far as the Park Department is concerned.
As area school corporations adopt a balanced calendar, less time is allotted for families to take advantage of beach tourism activities. The balanced calendar is thought to help youth better retain information taught in the previous year.
By the time temperatures warm and dry-out, kids are nearly ready to re-enter the classroom. To make up for this, the Culver Park Department is hoping weather cooperates in the month of July to draw tourism to Culver beach.
Hayden says good weather last weekend allowed the beach to record 550 visits.
“I think if we continue to get those good days, the numbers will continue to come back up, but right now, it’s just all weather related,” says Hayden.
Additional advertising is likely not in Culver’s future to help draw residents to the beach.
State climatologists have predicted that July may again produce plenty of moisture.
