Reactions to a possible entry fee at Fort Williams Park were mixed this week among tourists, who are being eyed by town officials as possible cash sources to help with park upkeep and improvement.

At last week’s meeting of the Fort Williams Advisory Commission, commission member John Snowden said the discussion over entrance fees was a “volatile” issue that needs to be addressed. The Town Council is considering five possible options for charging fees to visitors of the park, which will be discussed this fall.

The number of tourists who pass through the park every year is unknown; not even Town Manager Mike McGovern would venture a guess. Many of them stop by the park for a quick visit to the Portland Head Lighthouse.

Correction Crescent Beach State Park is in Cape Elizabeth.

Elan Barenholtz of Massachusetts gave the idea of an entrance fee into the park “a thumbs down.” Elan and his wife Jen only stopped by Fort Williams Park briefly on their way to Crescent Beach State Park in Scarborough. If there had been an entrance fee, “we would not have stopped.”

The Barenholtzes had no problem with the fee they were going to be charged when they arrived at Crescent Beach State Park, but that’s because they planned on spending the whole day there.

Diane Fasano of Connecticut thought a donation box at the entrance to the park is a better idea than a fee. “I think it’s a public place everyone should be able to come to,” said Fasano’s daughter Karla. “I think there would be less people coming.”

Dennis Kramer from Minnesota said he could see an entrance fee, depending on how “outlandish” it is. If there were an entrance fee, Kramer said he would expect to see some more services provided, such as a real bathroom where you could wash your hands.

“I think it’s a bad idea,” said Marian McKeone of Pennsylvania. Fort Williams Park is a huge draw for the tourism industry in Maine, she said: “The state should be reimbursing the town for what they do here.”

Carolyn Dickson of North Carolina said she would have paid a fee. “I’m interested in light houses; that’s one of the reasons we came.”

Richard Robinson from Harpswell said there should be a nominal fee. “I don’t think people should be able to use public parks for nothing,” he said. “It should be a user-supported system, not a tax payer-supported system.”

“A fee would make it tough for us to come, but if the park needs the money, then they need to do it,” said Melinda Parry of Wakefield, Mass., who makes an annual visit to Fort Williams with the Christian Youth Conference from Ocean Park.

“You wouldn’t get much for your $5 here; you already have to pay for the museum and gift shop. I don’t think it would be worth it,” said Brian Stewart of Bethesda, Md.

“So many people only use the park once or twice a year,” said Jane Reynolds of Cape Elizabeth.

“There should be a daily and a yearly fee” for people to choose from, said Kent Auwarter of Woolwich.

Reynolds said she was absolutely opposed to parking meters, one of the ideas the council will consider. “Nobody carries that much change on them, and it would cost more to pay the people who would check the meters,” she said.

“Everybody should be able to use the park. But people who don’t want to pay still get their six-packs, or a pack of cigarettes. They should give that up if they really want to come,” Reynolds said.

Jane Reynolds and Kent Auwarter said there should be both a daily fee and an annual fee for entrance to Fort Williams Park if the Town Council decides to start charging visitors.