THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 9, 1995 TAG: 9508090644
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: COVER STORY
SOURCE: BY JODY R. SNIDER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS LENGTH: Long : 140 lines
WHEN MOST FOLKS in Hampton Roads say, ``We're heading to the beach,'' they're talking Atlantic Ocean. But it's a good bet that in Isle of Wight County, a lot of people load up their cars and drive over the James River Bridge to Newport News.
Destination: Huntington Park, just over the bridge from Isle of Wight.
It's a city park whose beach on the James has more of everything this year. More people on the sand. More swimmers in the water. More boaters launching boats.
``On a busy weekend, you can't even see the sand,'' says Ben Burbic, who with his father, Harold, leases the beach concession stand from the city. ``On the weekends, it's so crowded that you can literally walk from blanket to blanket on the beach.''
On those days, sales at the concession stand are also brisk. Concession workers hand ice cream to kids as fast as they can scoop it.
That's good business for Burbic and the city.
And it means the $5.5 million spent in 1991 on park improvements looks like it's paying off.
Huntington Park is now Newport News' second busiest park. Last year its 60 acres were visited by 869,000 people, says Mike Poplawski, the city's parks administrator.
The city's busiest is Newport News Park, with last year served 925,000 people.
At Huntington, a children's playground called Fort Fun was built in 1992 by volunteers and drew 71,000 people last year; 10,600 visitors rented nearby picnic shelters.
Nearby tennis and volleyball courts also draw crowds.
In June alone, the park drew 118,657 people, Poplawski says, the latest month for which figures are available.
``It's been increasing every year about 5 to 7 percent,'' he says. ``The increase can't be seen in leaps and bounds, but the increase has been steady.
``We're estimating an additional 10,000 people will visit the park this year.''
One recent weekend, 7,000 visitors packed the park. But Poplawski says that as many as 10,000 people have been estimated on weekends.
In the three years lifeguard Nicole Scott, 20, has manned the watch tower at the beach, she also has noted the increased traffic.
``It's becoming more crowded every summer,'' she said on a recent sunny, hot weekend day. ``It's a fight to get a parking spot. And some days, it's hard to find a place in the sand.''
How many of the park's visitors cross the James from Isle of Wight County is not known because nobody actually counts them. But, given its proximity to the U.S. 17 bridge, the park undoubtedly draws well from south of the James.
Autumn Pauley, 19, of Carrollton, says she and her friends prefer Huntington over Virginia Beach because it's more convenient.
``Virginia Beach is a long ride,'' she said on that recent weekend day. ``This is more of a family beach compared to Virginia Beach, where all the tourists go.''
``This is a wonderful beach,'' said Val Lewis, 50, who works in transportation with the Isle of Wight School system.
``I moved here from New York City three years ago. We don't have beaches like this in New York. We have 'em, but they're dirty. This is clean. You can hear the quietness here. You don't hear a bunch of horn-blowing.''
Georgia resident Pauline Saville was visiting her sister in Newport News and had her five nieces, ages 12 to 1, in tow.
``My sister's sitting in the shade,'' she said with a laugh. ``But this is great!'' She juggled 1-year-old Heather in her arms. ``The waves are smaller on the river. That makes it great for the kids.''
Bob Grimes of Newport News preferred walking the beach to claiming the sand.
``I'm killing time. I went to the Harley shop and got some oil. Then I went to McDonald's for some lunch. Now, I'm here enjoying the sun.''
Mike Ayer, 23, of Hampton, found his place skipping across the river on a Waverunner.
``Waverunners are motorcycles on water, and this is a great place to ride 'em,'' Ayer said. ``There's a big parking lot to pull into. The water is smooth once you get out there. I'm out here any time I get a break.''
Harold Burbic says the beach attracts families because of its gradual slope.
``You can almost walk out to the power lines before it starts getting deep. And there's almost no waves near the shore, so it's great for kids. A lot of parents bring their kids here to teach them how to swim.''
And this year, the jellyfish have yet to arrive.
Ben Burbic said fresh water from floods in western and northern Virginia has cut the James River's salt content, forcing jellyfish to stay in Chesapeake Bay and the ocean longer.
``Usually when the water temperatures go up, that's when they migrate in and the beach business dies off,'' he said. ``That hasn't happened yet.''
Even with all the action at Huntington, the Burbics say they want to do more to attract visitors.
Ben Burbic, for example, would like to host a fishing tournament in the James River. He also hopes to see educational programs that would inform the public about the river and its wildlife.
``I'd like to see some speakers come in to talk about the James River. We have all these different ships that pass by, and it would nice to have someone talk about all the different ships that use the channel.''
An expanded menu at the concession stand is also in the works, he said.
``Anything to make the public happy. That's what I'm here for. We are here for the public. If it's raining, we're still here - until we're sure it's not going to clear up.''
And the Burbics arrive early and stay late to prepare for each day.
``It's quiet in the morning,'' Ben Burbic says. ``There's not the tourist thing going on. You'll see a few people come with their newspapers, and they sit and read. There's a few ripples in the water. A few motors firing up. It's peaceful.''
And after the busy, sand-packed day, quiet returns.
``You look out there,'' Harold Burbic says, ``and it's a picture to see the sun set over the water.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos [including color cover photo] by JOHN H. SHEALLY
II
Val Lewis, a former New York City dweller who moved to Tidewater
three years ago, suns in his beach chair at Huntington Park.
Mike Ayer, right, passes a fellow wave runner driver at Huntington
Park, where few waves make for a good ride.
The beach at times is covered with people, but there are also times
when there is plenty of room to stretch out.
The James River Bridge, which provides easy access to Huntington
Park from Isle of Wight, looms in the background.
Tiffany Burbic enjoys a snow cone with her grandfather Harold
Burbic. Her father, Ben, runs the refreshment stand.
Graphic
ON THE COVER
Autumn Pauley, left, and Shawn Ferguson enjoy the sun, sand and
water at Huntington Beach in a staff photo by John H. Sheally II.
by CNB