TIVERTON — The Town of Tiverton announced today that the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) has awarded the Town a $393,237 grant to fund a restoration, improvement
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TIVERTON — The Town of Tiverton announced today that the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) has awarded the Town a $393,237 grant to fund a restoration, improvement, and enhancement-of-access project at Grinnell’s Beach.
"Grinnell’s Beach is a small, historic waterfront access point enjoyed by recreational anglers, sunbathers and swimmers of all ages, located on Main Road adjacent to the Stone Bridge abutment," said Town Administrator Matt Wojcik in a release describing the grant.
"Today’s award represents the third successful grant application pursued by the Town since the conclusion of the Town’s collaboration with local residents and the Roger Williams University Community Partnerships Center (RWUCPC) regarding the former Seaside Gas Station building," Mr. Wojcik said.
The station and its surrounding lot were acquired in 2014, thanks in part to a RIDEM recreation facility acquisition grant. That grant application and compliance effort also included funding for the removal of the station’s underground fuel storage tanks and related environmental compliance efforts, he said.
In 2015, the faculty and students assigned by the RWUCPC designed a process for public participation in planning the future of the gas station building and site. Extensive publicity and public participation were garnered for the effort.
There was significant consensus around a plan to remove the gas station, thus re-opening the vista to the Sakonnet River, and replacing the building with a pavilion or shade structure that would still provide a gathering place and enhanced access point to the shore and its view.
Subsequently, the Tiverton Town Council appointed a subcommittee, consisting of Councilor Brett Pelletier and Jay Lambert, the Town Administrator, Conservation Chair Patricia Hilton, Harbor Commission member David Stewart, Economic Development Commission member Melissa Hutchinson, Open Space Commission Co-Chair Brian Janes, Peter Moniz and Susan Gill, to pursue grant opportunities to bring the project to fruition.
With help from Save the Bay and advice from Rhode Island Coastal Resource Management Council (CRMC) staff, the Committee put together successful grant applications with the Rhode Island Foundation and the CRMC for habitat restoration and facilities improvements totaling just over $18,000 that helped the Town meet its matching requirement for today’s RIDEM grant.
“Brian Janes and Trish Hilton were instrumental in identifying critical points that needed to appear in the Town’s grant application,” said Town Administrator Matt Wojcik,
“The Town knew the competition would be tough, but being up against 92 well prepared applications is a level of competition we prepared for but could not have expected. It’s testimony to Brian and Trish’s knowledge and professionalism that the Town was successful."
"I also cannot say enough about Melissa Hutchinson’s generosity in preparing conceptual drawings [see site drawing accompanying this story] to support the Town’s various applications; as a registered architect her contribution of free services to provide high quality presentation materials was incredibly generous and helpful.”
The Town has prepared the necessary asbestos remediation plan and CRMC assent to demolish the gas station in hopeful anticipation of this grant award. Mr. Wojcik will be working with RIDEM to finalize the grant acceptance requirements and final set of permits to facilitate demolition of the gas station before the end of this construction season.