The summer scene is back to normal this year at Pay and Inkwell beaches following a project this spring to renourish them with tons of clean sand dredged sand from underneath the Little Bridge.

Two downtown beaches in Oak Bluffs reopened to swimming Thursday after a two-day closure.

Following an outpouring of criticism, selectmen announced Tuesday that the dredge spoils deposited at Inkwell this spring will come off before summer. A small group of protesters had picketed at the site one day earlier.

The water isn’t the only thing heating up midsummer in Oak Bluffs. At a Tuesday meeting of the town selectmen, residents held passionate debates about the new lifeguard force at Inkwell Beach and parking safety in the North Bluff neighborhood.

The Oak Bluffs parks commission on Monday reviewed draft rules for town parks and beaches that among other things would close parks at 10 p.m., prohibit flower picking and ban pets from playgrounds and baseball fields.

Authored by Nancy Phillips, chairman of the parks commission, the rules would apply to all town beaches and parks, including Ocean Park, Waban Park, Nashawena Park, Sunset Park, Veira Park, Inkwell Beach and the old pay beach.

The Inkwell Beach is a symbol of pride for many Islanders, especially African Americans, whose families have visited this stretch of sand for generations.

The beach - which is no longer than a football field and bookmarked on both sides by jetties - does not have the royal vistas of Lucy Vincent or the commercial appeal of South Beach.