SAUGATUCK — For the first time since 2017, daily and seasonal pass prices at Saugatuck’s Oval Beach will increase, totaling $15 per day and $75 for the season.
The taxpayer season pass, as well as a city employee season pass, will remain $20.
The fees were first discussed at Saugatuck City Council’s most recent workshop. They were approved Monday, April 22.
The increase was made to keep up with maintenance needs, maintain competitive employee wages, and continue funding park projects.
According to Interim City Manager Ryan Cummins, salary and wage costs for seasonal beach workers have increased by up to 30% over the last few years.
In previous years, the cost was $10 for a daily pass, $50 for a season pass and $20 for a taxpayer season pass. The city employee season pass wasn't previously listed.
“Mount Baldhead is connected as well, which has nearly $2 million in capital needs, including replacement of the bathrooms, stairs, observation platform and retaining wall,” Cummins wrote in an email.
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The increases come following a successful year in 2023, during which 49,118 daily passes were purchased, along with 1,930 season passes and 375 taxpayer passes. Cummins said the city expects a similar number of passes in each category this year.
But revenues were down last year, totaling $549,555, down from peak levels in 2020 and 2021, when revenue reached $643,940. Meanwhile, park expenses were at an all-time high in 2023 at $550,871, over $50,000 more than the previous high of $496,991 in 2018 and 2019.
— Contact reporter Austin Metz at ametz@hollandsentinel.com.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: For non-taxpayers, visiting Oval Beach will be more expensive this year
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