Silence Means Consent for Park Design

The Town Council gave a silent consent to the concept developed for the park at Police Cove at its Monday meeting, March 12.

Two separate versions of the concept based on the money the town has on hand were presented by consultant Steve Derderian, a land-use specialist with Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc. (VHB.

The plain-vanilla version of the concept has a price tag of $500,000 – the amount the town has on hand right now. An enhanced version incorporates an additional $200,000 grant from the RI Department of Environmental Management if it is approved.

“I didn’t hear any opposition,” said Town Planner Phil Hervey. “So we’re designing to go out to bid now.”

Hervey said he expects to come back to the Town Council in April or May with a request to go out to bid.

Police Cove has been a mostly vacant space at the junction of County Road and Mathewson Road just north of the Andreozzi Bridge and just west of the East Bay Bike Path for many years. It is the former home of the police station. Fire rescue boats still operate from there in the warm weather months.

The preferred design includes a waterfront promenade with ornamental railings and benches, an open lawn for flexible use, a transient boat dock near the existing boat ramp, a parking area for food trucks near a dining area, parking for cars and boat trailers, several bike racks, and a portable toilet and storage space.

Work on the park could begin in late spring or early summer. It could be ready for public use by the spring of 2013.

There is another feature of the park that is still up in the air: its name. The possibility of a contest of some sort to name the park has been tossed around. It’s a work in progress. Forward any ideas you have to Hervey in Town Hall.