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Families visit Ramsey Creek Beach for the last day this season

By Brittney Johnson, wsoctv.com
By Brittney Johnson, wsoctv.com

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Scores of people soaked up the sand and sun for the last day of the season at Ramsey Creek beach on Lake Norman.
 
Six-year-old Alaine Pearman was among them.
 
"Making sand castles and swimming in the water," he said.
 
His grandmother says this is their first visit for a reason.
 
"I started reading how packed it was getting and the limited parking spaces," Aidee Pearman said.
 
They decided to give it a try and around 11 a.m. Labor Day they joined about 60 others on the beach. It was a smaller crowd than opening weekend.

Past coverage: Visitors frustrated by parking, traffic concerns at new Lake Norman beach
 
The beach holds 500 people and has 127 parking spaces.  Memorial Day, the lot filled up in the first 30 minutes and traffic clogged nearby neighborhoods.
 
Neighbors pushed back and to ease congestion, officials introduced a free shuttle and raised the entry fee.
 
"Having police officers up there and signs telling people not to park in peoples' yards has helped tremendously," said neighbor Dean Garrison.
 
Then, in July, the county shut down the beach when tests found elevated levels of bacteria after a heavy rain. The beach  reopened two days later, and with some of the kinks worked out, the focus returned to families having fun.
 
New to the area, the Kennedys appreciate the easy access to the beach.
 
"If it was in New Jersey it would be twice as expensive and twice as crowded, so we are loving this," said Grace Kennedy.
 
And like the Pearmans, they'll be back.
 
"I like having family time in the summer," said Alaine Pearman.
 
Park officials plan to meet in the off season to discuss changes to beach operations and to start preparing for next summer.

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