Councilors split on plans for park, boat ramp at Bea\'s site on river

Tag : boat trailer part
They both represent Methuen's West District, butcity councilors Deborah Quinn and Jeanne Pappalardo are split as towhether building a park with a boat launch at the old Bea'sSandwich Shop site is a good idea.
Quinn voted in favor of accepting $250,000 from the state to buildthe park, to be located along Riverside Drive and the MerrimackRiver, on the city's west side near the Route 110/113 rotary.Pappalardo voted against it.
The state is requiring the city to build the boat ramp in order toget the money. Mayor William Manzi has said Methuen cannot affordto construct the park without state money, so no boat ramp means nopark.
The state is requiring the boat ramp because the funding is beingdrawn from the Department of Fish and Game, which promotes accessto waterways.
That's fine with Quinn.
"It's a gateway to Methuen," she said. "It's access to the river."
That's not fine with Pappalardo.
It won't be "a good fit," she said. And neighbors are worried abouttraffic and parking for vehicles with boat trailers.
"We have 14 parks" in Methuen, Pappalardo said. "I don't think weneed another park, especially with the concerns the neighborshave."
The City Council voted 6-2 to accept the state money earlier thismonth, with Councilor John Cronin joining Pappalardo in dissent.The city will move ahead with the plans, and construction couldbegin as early as next spring.
Bea's Sandwich Shop was a local landmark. It moved downtown, andthe city bought the land for $512,000 in January 2003.
Officials have been talking about turning the property into a parksince the purchase. It sat vacant while officials worked out theplans.
Manzi said it took a year just for the city and state to reach somecommon ground.
Residents say the place has become an eyesore and an attraction fordrug dealers.
Pappalardo said she probably would have been in favor of the parkif it didn't have a boat ramp. There used to be a boat ramp underthe nearby Interstate 93 bridge, and it attracted prostitution anddrug activity, Pappalardo said.
Pappalardo also is worried that the Department of Public Workswon't be able to maintain the park. She noted they already hire alandscaper to maintain some city parks. Manzi has said the DPW hasthe means to take care of the place.
The plans for the park call for it to be gated. The gate would belocked overnight. Pappalardo questioned who would open the gateevery morning.
The city also taps the Merrimack River for drinking water near thesite, so Pappalardo has a problem with allowing motorboats. Thewater gets low sometimes, and Pappalardo questioned how peoplewould get their boats in the river when that happens.
"Jeannie's telling you 10 things that could go wrong. I'm tellingyou 10 things that could go right," Quinn said.
The plans call for six parking spaces for boats with trailers. The1-acre park will also have a dock, riverwalk, pavilion, picnictables, green space and a play area.
Pappalardo said she has heard from residents worried about peopleparking on side streets.
Quinn said she has heard from eager boaters.
"I must have got 50 calls from boaters to do this," Quinn said.
Pappalardo said she never heard from any boaters.
"They could have called me to try to sway me their way," she said.
Forest Street resident Bob Gates owns a 20-foot Starcraftmotorboat. He said he has to take it to Lawrence's boat ramp to putit in the river, or pay $10 to launch it behind Norm's White Horsebar and restaurant on Lowell Street, down the street from therotary heading toward Dracut.
He'd be happy to have a free ramp at the Bea's site, he said. Henow spends hours on the river without encountering other boaters.
"It blows me away every time I get out there, how little it'sused," he said.
Gates heard someone comment that boaters will trash the park, whichhe said is a farce because boaters are respectful and don't litter.
"Are you kidding me? Obviously you don't hang around with boatersor have a boat," he said.
Quinn said if the city doesn't build a park and if the city soldthe land, "Who knows what could go there?"
"You could have anything. At least this is open space," she said.
Pappalardo doesn't know what else she'd like to see there, shesaid.
"I hope that the mayor and the administration can prove me wrong,that that's going to be a great area for a park. I really do," she said.