From "Our Town July 1999"

A Year later than eager youngsters had hoped, the Carroll Holmes Recreation area at Lake Wyola Park is ready for swimming.

The Department of Enviornmental Management (DEM) bought the former, privately run Lake Wyola Park from Emelia Bennett in 1997, and names it for Carroll Holmes, a former Shutesbury selectman and director of DEM's Region IV.

Today, the park boasts a new bathhouse, parking areas and other improvements that had been delayed by the permit and construction process.

DEM's Frank Buntin manages the new park. Hours will be 9:00AM to 8:00PM through Labor Day. Buntin told Our Town that park staff will begin encouraging visitors to head home around 7:30PM.

Parking is $2.00 per car, or $15 for a season pass good at all Massachusetts state parks. Visitors arriving by foot or bicycle will be admitted free, even if the parking lot is full.

When the lot is full, the gates will be closed and cars will be directed on to Ruggles Pond in the Wendell State Forest or to Laurel Lake in Erving.

Buntin predicts that the beach capacity will be between 200 and 250 people. To alleviate crowding on the beach, grills and picnic tables will be available on the lodge side of the street.

Lifeguards will be on duty at all times during the summer, After Labor Day, the swimming buoys will be pulled out of the water and swimming will be prohibited. The park will be open, however, for shorter daytime hours throughout the year for picnicking and other non-swimming activities.