Beach Stabilization and Renovation

For over a decade we have been working with Town and City officials, boards and departments to stabilize the water runoff problems that have been continually problematic. Several years ago a swale was installed on the uphill side of the walkway, in hopes of intercepting the water coming off the hill before it got to the beach. While it did work to an extent, we found that a large amount of water was still traveling underground and actually extruding from the beach itself. That meant that the only solution was to put in a drainage system. Working with our DPW, City Hall, Municipal Council, the Quality of Life Committee, and the Conservation Commission, work was begun to design a solution. Historic granite was sourced from the Whittier Bridge project, which was used to build a strong retaining wall, behind which a structure of pipes and crushed stone carries water away from the sand, to filter back into the lake in a controlled way. We are glad to see that the design appears to be working as hoped.

This spring the soil behind the wall seeded well, and now the grass is well established

Once this work is complete the hope is for the beach to receive attention next.

You may follow the progress on our Facebook page, and watch for Conservation Commission meetings where the next steps will be decided.