With the Round Hill Town Beach seeing “unprecedented usage” over the course of this summer, officials are exploring options to help keep the facilities up to par.

On July 30, the Parks and Recreation Department temporarily extended the hours for the beach from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. until August 16 in order to accommodate the increased traffic.

On Monday night, the Finance Committee approved $2,032 to supplement the cost of the extended hours, and the Board of Parks and Recreation discussed options for keeping the beach’s facilities up with increased usage.

“Our residents are relying heavily and solely on Round Hill,” said Parks and Recreation superintendent Tim Lancaster, who noted that an increased price in the state’s beach passes have likely led to the increase. “That coupled with very good weather caused the circumstances.”

Lancaster said that the ladies bathrooms in particular are an issue, with only two stalls currently in use. He said the original bathhouse was built in the 1970s when the town’s population was less than 20,000.

“We have to start thinking down the road,” said Lancaster, adding that the town has sold nearly 3,500 beach passes this year, which is up from previous years. “In the past it hasn’t really been that much of a problem. Now, it is a problem.”

Lancaster said the department would take a count of how many people are using the restrooms at peak beach times, and then assess what needs to be done with the bathrooms. He said that a vaulted bathroom would likely be the best solution, as the bathroom as it stands couldn’t be added onto.

Lancaster said the roadway leading to the beach is also deteriorating, and that the parking lot could also use some work to hold the increased load.

“It’s a disaster,” he said. “It wasn’t designed for thousands of vehicles going down that road.”

The Finance Committee unanimously approved the funding from the increased beach hours this year, and also approved the longer hours going forward up until the end of the fiscal year in June.

Finance Committee Chair David Tatelbaum suggested that Lancaster go forward with formulating a plan for exactly what needs to be done at the beach in order to secure town funding.

“People are going to support it because they’re using it,” said Tatelbaum.