NEWS RELEASE July 7, 2022
Contact: Kristen Doulos, Town Parks Director
(631) 728-8585 - kdoulos@southamptontownny.gov
A new and improved William Swan “Hot Dog” Beach is making its debut this week, according to Southampton Town officials.
Physical improvements and expanded staffing topped the list of changes announced today and represent a months-long renovation project for the popular East Quogue hotspot.
The first things beachgoers will likely notice are the new attendant booth, lifeguard office, and temporary restrooms. Behind the scenes, maintenance personnel have installed water and electrical service to all three, adding a Hot Box backflow enclosure, along with a reduced pressure zone assembly to protect the water supply from contamination. The parking area has also been regraded. New signs are expected soon.
“For more than six decades, Hot Dog Beach has been a favorite ocean access point,” remarked Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman. “Now it is a proper bathing beach.”
The area around Triton Lane, a Town Trustee Road, could draw upwards of 10,000 visitors in its 1970s-heyday, thanks to its then-secluded location and close proximity to popular clubs. Locals informally christened it “Hot Dog Beach” in the 1960s after a vendor moved his cart there, providing a quick meal and an even easier landmark.
The nine-acre parcel at 35 Dune Road was home to The Pavilion restaurant, which burned down more than 20 years ago. Southampton Town purchased the property on January 9, 2003 using $4.07 million from the Community Preservation Fund. Construction began in 2017 to restore the boardwalks, add a new ADA-compliant ramp, and security lighting. When the gates opened that June, it was formally named William H. Swan Beach, had a 175-car unpaved parking lot, two portable toilets, and a Mister Softee truck on weekends.
“It’s been so much fun to see this spot get revitalized, but with the growing patronage it became increasingly important to us that we provide lifeguard staff,” said Town Parks Director Kristen Doulos. “There’s approximately five miles of beach between the Shinnecock Inlet and the Quogue Village line, so having this third location secured, along with Tiana and Ponquogue, also helps fortify our shoreline and bolster our ability to respond in an emergency.”
The latest upgrades have been a collaboration between the Town’s Parks & Recreation Department, its maintenance division, the Town Engineer, and sanitarians from the Marine Resources Team of the Suffolk County Department of Health Services.
Councilman Rick Martel of Hampton Bays, who serves as the Southampton Town Board’s liaison for parks and recreation matters, reported that lifeguards have been on duty since July 2, keeping watch from a newly-built tower chair. “Beach attendants will begin selling daily parking permits there this week,” he said. “Hot Dog Beach will not only be a safer facility, but also a more convenient one.”
For a complete list of town beaches and access roads, as well as permit information, please visit https://www.southamptontownny.gov/353/Parks-Recreation, or the Parks & Recreation Department at 6 Newtown Road in Hampton Bays, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
