JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. — After a few weekends of closures, Rockford Beach park in Jefferson County is back open on Saturdays and Sundays.
"The Sheriff's Department has placed an officer down here on the weekends during peak time to try and keep control over the crowd and reduce some of the issues that we were having," High Ridge Fire Chief John Barton tells 5 On Your Side.
People were an issue, but mostly it was the cars they came in. Barton explains, "In past weekends before the park was closed there were so many cars here that we couldn't get boats to the scene, we couldn't get an ambulance down here for a medical call."
5 On Your Side stopped by the beach around 12pm on Sunday. The parking lot was fairly quiet and there were a few open parking spaces. "It's really about just trying to make sure that when an emergency happens we can get to the scene and render aid," Barton says, "that wasn't possible a couple weeks ago."
Saturday was the first day an officer was on site managing the park. Barton drove over to the park to see how the new plan was working out, "I came down here to check and there was a deputy on scene and the crowd was manageable. Most of the people were out of the water, along the shore and in the picnic area having fun."
With extreme heat in the forecast, Rockford Beach is sure to be a hot spot. Beachgoer Jackie Kelly tells 5 On Your Side, "It's really the only beach we go to in St. Louis because the atmosphere is always super cool. The water feels great, the rocks are cool, we love it."
If you decide to cool off in the water, Barton says don't go too far, "We run rescues here every year and time is of the essence when someone is trapped in the current."
For all visiting Rockford Beach, even on weekdays when an officer isn't on site, keep the roads clear and only park in designated spots.