MASSENA - A hot, dry summer has translated to an increase in attendance at local beaches.

As the summer beach season reached the midway point, Massena and Potsdam officials said their numbers are up this year with a month remaining.

“All in all, we’re up a little from last year,” Massena Recreation Superintendent Richard A. Boprey said.

The Massena Town Beach opened for a seven-day-a-week schedule on June 16. They started off well, largely due to the weather, with 98 paying cars that Saturday and 128 the following day.

He said, based on current beach gate fees - the $5 parking fee charged per vehicle - their beach attendance right now is up by about 175 compared to last year, pavilion rental is steady and beach passes are down slightly.

“We’ve had a nice summer, a very warm summer that has at least kept us up to our levels. Our numbers have been solid. We’re up close to a couple hundred cars from last year. The season passes are steady from last year,” Mr. Boprey said.

Beach pavilion rentals, like season passes, also remain steady, according to the recreation superintendent.

“Pavilion rental is steady with last year, almost number to number. There were more (rentals) in June this year than last year and more in July last year than this year,” he said.

One reason why pavilion rental numbers haven’t increased, Mr. Boprey said, is because some summer recreation groups from outside Massena that used to rent pavilions separately have now combined and rent them together.

While this year’s numbers are on pace with 2011, he said it’s only August and they could pick up during the month.

“The first week of August it could change slightly,” he said.

In Potsdam, meanwhile, Village Administrator David H. Fenton Jr. said they’re seeing considerably more foot traffic at Postwood Park in Hannawa Falls. The number of visitors are tracked by lifeguards at the beach.

“The total last year was around 10,000. We had 13,000 so far this year. We’re way up and we still have some time to go,” he said.

“It’s been a big utilization by the public,” Mr. Fenton said. “You can’t beat this summer.”

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