Politics & Government

Public Hearing Wednesday on Cadigan, Town Beach Renovations

Residents will have a chance to speak on the new Parks Revitalization Plan Wednesday night.

The Board of Selectmen and Department of Parks and Recreation are holding a public hearing Wednesday night to get feedback on the latest proposal for renovations to Cadigan Park and the Town Beach.

A similar proposal was defeated by 178 votes (out of 2,590 cast) in April 2010, though the new plan does not include rebuilding Kids Kingdom, which was ultimately budgeted separately and co-funded with a matching grant from the state.

The new proposal, for $500,000 less at $4.8 million, has been scaled down, according to Parks and Rec Director Dennis DiPinto. Plans to redesign the layout of the fields at Cadigan, the parking and entrances to both parks and the scope of the multiuse building at the beach were simplified and the decision was made to renovate the existing building at Cadigan rather than rebuild from new.

“We’ve really scaled from things that are nice to have to things that are must have,” he said, particularly the drainage issues at Cadigan’s fields and the deteriorating seawall at the beach. “I could take that seawall down with my hands, given the time.”

While the seawall is being repaired, it will also be moved back an additional 25 feet, almost doubling the usable beach area.

Up above the wall, the existing life guard building will be demolished and replaced with a new multipurpose building — fully funded by a $750,000 state grant — and the basketball courts will be moved across the street to Cadigan, allowing for year-round access.

Besides drainage and parking repairs, the playing fields at Cadigan will be redone, including at least one synthetic field.

Depending on feedback at the public hearing, the administration might decide to amend a question to the referendum asking voters whether or not to spend an additional $500,000 to install two synthetic fields.

Either way, the repairs are desperately needed, DiPinto said.

“Over the last six or seven years there have been three committees for long-range planning and facilities. Independently, each one of those groups said before we start building new we should take care of what we have,” he said. “That’s the first step before we can start looking at projects for the next 10 years.”


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here