BY SUSAN WARE

Rainy weekends last summer meant fewer beach days, and this year, beach-goers are paying the price.

A reduction in revenue last year at the already strapped state-run beaches means no lifeguards at some of the local watering holes.

This summer, lifeguards at the two Bear Brook State Park beaches have been cut.

“It’s a disgrace. Really, this morning there were 50 children swimming here. Isn’t the cost of one lifeguard worth potentially saving one child?” said Marie Egan of Epsom.

Bear Brook State Park has beaches at Beaver and Catamount Ponds that are typically heavily used by locals, visiting campers and local children’s day camps.

“I don’t understand why we still have to pay to get in if there is no lifeguard on duty,” said Jessica Le Clair of Pembroke.

For Stacey Rawnsley of Pittsfield, the lack of a lifeguard at Bear Brook State Park is a concern.

“With so many kids playing in the water, it’s hard to watch them all. And I agree, I don’t know what we are being charged this year,” she said.

Running the state park system doesn’t come cheap. Bear Brook State Park alone is 8,008 acres and includes trails, campsites and other areas that need to be maintained.

The state parks have managed to keep the cost of admission low despite the decrease in revenue, said Amy Bassett, spokesman for the New Hampshire state parks. At all 72 state parks, admission for children ages 6 to 11 is $1, and for adults, $3.

While the state Legislature is looking for ways to funnel money into the entirely self-funded state parks, an important arm of tourism revenue in the Granite State and a symbol of pride, the parks are losing money.

A recent state legislative report shows that since 2000,  state parks have lost between $24,543 and $1 million each year.

This year, Bear Brook State Park had less revenue to open with and is operating with about half the staff, said Allenstown Police Chief Shaun Mulholland.

While the beaches at Bear Brook State Park will not have lifeguards, park staff will monitor them, he said.

Robert Martin, a deputy in the Allenstown Fire Department said he was unaware that Bear Brook State Park did not have lifeguards this year.

“I didn’t know anything about that. But so far this year, we haven’t gotten any calls to go over there. In fact, we seldom have to go into the state park,” said Martin.