Latest news with #ConcertsbytheShore
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
‘We want our park back': Ontario Beach Park visitors react to new security measures
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) – Although Ontario Beach Park remains a popular summer destination for many across Rochester, some have expressed worries following a fight which broke out there last week. This resulted in a man's arrest for possessing an illegal gun with a high-capacity magazine while at the park. News 8 spoke with folks attending the weekly 'Concerts by the Shore' series about their reaction to last week's fight. John & Mary DeGrazia, both city residents, say they've attended concerts in the park every year for the last 37 years and have never felt unsafe. 'The years that we've come here, we've never seen a fight, ever,' John said. 'I was kind of surprised to see and hear about it.' The disruption caused by the fight has frustrated many, including city resident Kim Canton. 'We come here and meet some wonderful people, and for these other people to come in and ruin for us, it's a terrible shame,' Canton said. In response to the safety concerns, county leaders announced changes in patrol and security procedures at the park. This includes an increased law enforcement presence and the installation of four gates at entry and exit points. Mary Ann Newland, who has attended Concerts by the Shore for many years, expressed worry that these measures won't be enough. 'I think that the older folks, if they get shut out by the gates, they're not going to come back,' Newland said. 'They also want to close off the parking lot, but I don't see that working because a lot of these kids come on busses.' Others, including Ontario Beach Park Committee Member Fred Amato, thinks the county's response is necessary. 'If more people come here and think they're going to take the park over, acting like idiots, I think the police are going to be doing something they should be doing,' Amato said. 'We want our park back. It's our park, it belongs to all of us.' More details about the new gates to be installed at Ontario Beach Park can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
‘It's like senior skip day': RPD, MCSO work together to introduce new safety measures at Charlotte Beach Park
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Monroe County leaders and law enforcement introduced an increased presence starting on Wednesday evening at Ontario Beach Park. Officers said they responded to Ontario Beach Park last Wednesday for disturbances breaking out in large crowds. That led to 19-year-old Deandre Leonard getting arrested for allegedly running around with a handgun. 'We can't allow that to happen again,' Captain Greg Bello said. On Tuesday, Rochester Police Captain Greg Bello announced that on Wednesday nights, which is the night of the weekly Concerts by the Shore, will begin having a huge increase of law enforcement personnel: including RPD's Special Events Detail and the Patrol Unit from the Department's Lake section, deputies from the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, and troopers from New York State Police. Teams will also be assigned from Monroe County Probation, Monroe County Security, and City of Rochester security. 'It's a great summer event that over 1,000 people go to,' Captain Bello said. 'We want to make sure that that's a safe event to go to.' Weather-dependent, RPD said it will implement its Tactical Unit and Traffic Enforcement Unit to 'conduct targeted, disorderly traffic safety, and all sorts of enforcement in the parking lots of the beach area.' Captain Bello said this is to target any groups 'before they're able to get into a point of creating mischief.' On Saturday evening, multiple roads were closed down in the Charlotte neighborhood near the beach. Fights spilled toward Lake Avenue in front of Tropix. Business owners have told News 8 that this has become a regular thing in the area. Rochester police, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, and New York State Police are meeting to plan for increased patrols in the area. First responders will also be working with the Rochester Transit Service to implement a special events detail. 'Our Staff Duty officer now has the authority to turn busses around,' Bello said. 'So if we have large groups of teens going to the beach in order to try to create problems at the beach, we're going to turn that bus around.' The Monroe Crime Analysis Center will also be used to monitor social media and different groups to target any events, fights, or chaos being planned at the beach. 'We're going to go after those that are that are trying to create chaos,' Bello said. At the end of the day, it's a family park.' Monroe County announced County Executive Adam Bello has worked with the President of the Monroe County Legislature to introduce a Capital Improvement Project. This would put gates at the parking lot of the beaches to monitor who is going in and out more effectively. 'This isn't something new. This has been going on for decades, and I think it's one of the really cornerstones of public safety in the county of Monroe,' a Monroe County Director said. Monroe County Sheriff's Office Deputy Brendan Hurley said these fights coincide with Senior Skip Day. 'These are juveniles,' Deputy Hurley said. 'These are teens going out and causing havoc. But like you saw last week, we arrested somebody with a gun, so that has the potential to get a lot worse. So that's why we're taking it serious, and we're going to try to nip it in the bud and stop it before anything gets too far in the name of safety.' When asked why this wasn't done a long time ago, Captain Bello said it has to do with resources. 'We don't have infinite resources,' he said. 'We have to prioritize as we go forward with what we're going after with our non fatal shooting team. We have to focus. And so we've had details up at the beach. There was a detail up at the beach last week that thankfully kept that from escalating any further. But what we've looked at is, okay, where's our most appropriate deployment of resources? And what we found is that we need to increase those resources at the beach, and that's what we're doing in response to that.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Huge turnout for first night of 2025 Concerts by the Shore
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — It was a beautiful day for the beach and even a perfect day to kick off the annual 'Concerts by the Shore' series! The series is sponsored by Wegmans with the City of Rochester and Monroe County also providing support. Wednesday, Nik and the Nice Guys hit the stage at 7 p.m., and what a turn out it was! News 8 caught up with some concert goers who, to say the least, had a great time. 'We got a huge crowd out here plus a lot of people just enjoying the beach and the park. We are looking forward to a great season,' Ontario Beach Program Committee Chair Jim Farr said. Concerts by the Shore have been a Rochester tradition for 37 years. For the full 2025 line up, with performances every Wednesday, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Yahoo
MCSO deputy recovering from injury while responding to ‘disturbances' at Ontario Beach Park
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — A deputy was injured after fights broke out at Ontario Beach Park Wednesday night, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. Investigators said they responded to the area to help with reports of 'disturbances' breaking out in the large crowds. Ontario Beach Park hosted the first Concerts by the Shore Wednesday evening. Deputies said they became involved in an 'active crime' — where a deputy was then injured in the hand while he was taking a suspect into custody. The deputy's injury was treated. MCSO said the criminal investigation is ongoing. Stay with RochesterFirst for the latest. Check back with News 8 WROC as we will continue to update this developing story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
