The City of Rochester says it has no choice but to ban swimming indefinitely at Durand-Eastman beach, because there essentially is no beach anymore.
The high waters and waves of Lake Ontario have torn away nearly all the sand, leaving water right up to the base of the hills above the shore. Paths that once led down to the sand now run into the water.
City Environmental Services Commissioner Norm Jones said there’s nothing that can be done until the water recedes. Only once that happens, does Jones say they’ll be able to assess how bad the damage is and if anything can be done to fix it.
Ontario Beach Park at Charlotte has 
also suffered damage, but because it was wider it still has some beach left. Officials plan to open on Friday, June 23rd, which is the first day of summer.
Monroe County Parks Director Larry Staub says there’s 60-to-100 feet of sand left between the surf and the boardwalk. About 100 feet of what was beach last season is now under water.
The good news is that the Monroe County Health Department reports the water is in great shape, with no problem of high bacteria counts.