Cape & Islands News

Officials, sportsmen celebrate reconstruction of $475,000 boat ramp

Officials, sportsmen meet, fete reconstruction of Green Pond boat ramp
Project cost $475,000

State and local officials and sportsmen gathered Friday to celebrate the completion of a $475,000 reconstruction of a boat ramp at Green Pond in Falmouth.

A project of the state Department of Fish and Game's Office of Fishing and Boating Access, the ramp provides well-sheltered access to Vineyard Sound, and is popular with anglers and recreational boaters.

"As a boater myself, I can appreciate the work that has been done here to make this a first class facility that will last for decades and serve the needs of the hundreds of thousands of boaters and anglers," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles.

The project was completed by the Department of Fish and Game's (DFG) Office of Fishing and Boating Access in partnership with the town of Falmouth, which owns the property and provides day-to-day management of the site.  Reconstruction of the boat access facilities was financed by DFG's capital funds.

"I would like to thank the town of Falmouth for working in partnership with our Office of Fishing and Boating Access on six boat access sites that provide fishing and boating access to our coastal waters," said DFG Commissioner Mary Griffin. "I would also like to thank the sportsmen who are here today who have advocated for this project and support our conservation and recreation programs."
 
Completed in September, the Green Pond Boat Access project involved replacement of an old wooden ramp with a concrete structure, the addition of boarding floats and a storm water drainage system, repaving of the parking area for about 20 vehicles with trailers, and handicapped accessible parking. The new ramp is designed to provide four feet of water at low tide and a steeper slope for use by all types of recreational boats.

"At a time when finding every efficiency possible is critical, this partnership is the perfect example of how state-local partnerships can work to provide services at a lower cost," said Senate President Therese Murray. "Updating the facility to allow greater access to the water is a tremendous asset to the town, boaters, and fishermen."

"Boating and fishing are extremely popular recreational activities on Cape Cod, and are also very important to the region's economy and character," said state Representative Eric Turkington. "I appreciate all of the work that the town, the Office of Fishing and Boating Access, and the contractors have put into this project."

"Making sure that there are an adequate number of quality facilities such as this in Falmouth and throughout our coastal waters helps to improve the experience for boaters, fishermen, and tourists, thus contributing to our quality of life and economy," Representative Matthew Patrick said.

The town of Falmouth conducts the day-to-day management of the Green Pond Boat Access Area and five other sites in Falmouth at no cost to boaters, while DFG's Office of Fishing and Boating Access is responsible for major repairs or reconstruction of these facilities when it becomes necessary. Including the Green Pond Access project, five of the six boating access sites in Falmouth have been reconstructed by the Office of Fishing and Boating Access in the last ten years. The Office plans to work with the town to refurbish the boat access on the Child's River (White's Landing) in the next few years.

The Office of Fishing and Boating Access provides boat and canoe access sites, as well as shore fishing areas and sport fishing piers, at more than 265 locations on coastal waters, great ponds and rivers throughout Massachusetts. Fifty of these fishing and boating access sites are on Cape Cod and the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.

The Office of Fishing and Boating Access oversaw reconstruction of the boat access area by UEL Contractors of Fitchburg in early September. Coastal Engineering Co., Inc. of Orleans provided project design.

Members of the Massachusetts Sportsmen's Council and the Barnstable County League of Sportsmen were on hand at today's boat access dedication to show their support for the project.