Stay off my ferry & my beach! signed Greenwich, CT

Island Beach, also know as Captain's Island is an exclusive Greenwich park that makes no exceptions for non-residents. As I was reading this Greenwich Time article, I wondered why I had never heard of this island getaway. You hop on a ferry and suddenly you're in paradise. The writer interviewed some atypical Greenwich residents, i.e. working class people, who have lived in Greenwich for generations. They described Island Beach as an 'everyman's Nantucket' where families who can't afford Martha's Vineyard could go to. At this point I couldn't wait to find out where it was, so I quickly went to my map and to the Greenwich town website.

Curiosity and anticipation quickly turned to sorrow and thoughts of a lawsuit. This is what I found: If you have a resident park pass ($100), the ferry ride is only $2/adults, $1 under 14 and free for seniors. Guests are allowed but only when accompanied by a resident who has the $100 park pass. Visitors, the term used for non-residents who are not welcomed, I mean, who are not with a resident, cannot go to Island Beach. I'm very disappointed and wondering why I was born beautiful and not rich! Seems like those ordinary folks all have had an employment relationship with the town (which sometimes comes with reduced housing). Then there is the very curious statement: "And we pass it along down to generations." Hmmm. Do I detect a non-resident in the bunch? someone with a Greenwich ID who doesn't live their anymore? A, gulp, visitor? I wonder if they'll get arrested like the 75 year old man who bicycled into Greenwich Point Park without a non-resident, visitor, daily park pass.