On Monday morning, the Friends and Neighbors of Sunset Lake in Oak Bluffs broke ground on a restoration project more than 10 years in the making.
Donna Hayes, president of the grassroots community organization consisting mostly of neighbors along Greenleaf avenue and Dukes County avenue, helped lead the charge that began back in 2010.
“I am so tickled pink to be here because it’s just such a great project and it’s a long, long time coming,” Ms. Hayes said at the groundbreaking ceremony.
The $750,000 project is funded by the Oak Bluffs Community Preservation Committee and will include a path that wraps around the lake and a plaza in the eastern corner. The plaza will contain a formalized bus pull-off area, a welcome kiosk, bike racks, trash receptacles and a dog waste station.
“It’s been one little hurdle after the next and it’s taken us 10 years to get to this point... but here we are today, we’re prepped and ready to go,” Ms. Hayes said.
In addition to the improved pedestrian walkway, there will be multiple storm water solutions to aid in preventing road runoff and increased nitrification in the pond. In the northern corner of the park, a sand filter will treat road runoff from Lake avenue. Similarly, in the southern and western corners, bioretention basins and a wet swale will improve the water quality, help reduce erosion caused by runoff and alleviate flooding on Dukes County and Greenleaf avenues, Ms. Hayes said.
Invasive plant species which currently grow on the edge of Sunset Lake will be removed and replaced with native plants for increased stability along the banks of the lake, she added.
Ms. Hayes said she and her fellow members of the nonprofit group are thankful for the support the project received from town government and the community.
“That was a lot of trust from town voters, the conservation commission and the parks commission,” she said. “We all worked very hard.”
Amy Billings, chairman of the Oak Bluffs Parks Commission, echoed the sentiment of Ms. Hayes.
“We could never pull off half the projects that get done without the community,” Ms. Billings said at the event. “They have been persistent and working to get it done and I want to thank FANS for what they’ve accomplished.”
The estimated completion date for the Sunset Lake restoration is June 15. Meanwhile, the group already looking to adding more improvements in the area. Next up is Lakeside Park, which needs new grass seeding to help prevent erosion. Further down the road, the group hopes to improve the culvert between Oak Bluffs Harbor and Sunset Lake so the lake can be dredged and possibly bring back the paddle boats last seen in the 1960s.
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