Freeman Park cleaner and less crowded this summer

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — This summer the north end of Carolina Beach went through some big changes. Thursday night the Freeman Park Committee held its last meeting of the season to get an update on how things went with the new rules and higher rates.

Earlier this year town leaders decided to raise the rates for parking on Freeman Park. They also started charging for camping overnight. Some beach visitors thought it was a good change because it could keep the number of people down. Others said it was pretty outrageous.

Rick Rogge, a member of the Freeman Park Committee, said the number of people driving out onto Freeman Park was down significantly. But with the added camping fee, the amount of money the town received stayed about the same. Rogge said because there were fewer visitors, the beach was cleaner and less crowded.

“We weren’t quite sure how it was all going to work out, there were people that were very much against it, people that were very much for it, but as we get closer to the end of the year it seems to have worked out very very well,” said Rogge.

One concern the committee discussed was vehicles getting stuck on the beach and what more they can do but no decision was made.

The Freeman Park Committee will not meet until January when they will get ready for next season.