The state Seaport Economic Council this week awarded $680,000 to the town of Tisbury that will allow a critically-needed overhaul of the Lake Tashmoo landing ramp. Gov. Charlie Baker’s office announced Thursday that $5 million would go to 13 Massachusetts communities to restore infrastructure critical to the maritime economy.
Tisbury received the second largest grant in the package.
Situated at the foot of Lake street in Vineyard Haven, the Tashmoo ramp is the sole public landing spot on the saltwater lake that is considered one of the town’s natural resource jewels. Fed by freshwater springs on the south and emptying into Vineyard Sound on the north, Tashmoo serves countless sailors and other recreational boaters, commercial fishermen, family shellfishermen and summer beachgoers.
“There are a lot of people that rely on that ramp,” Tisbury town administrator John (Jay) Grande told the Gazette Friday. “We’re very pleased . . . it needed to be done and we’re pleased that the council awarded the money.”
The town will contribute $170,000 to the project, Mr. Grande said. He credited harbor master John Crocker for his work preparing the grant application in October, and shellfish constable Danielle Ewart for her assistance as part of the natural resources arm of the harbor department.
In recent years town voters have been appropriating funds for upkeep on the ramp, including $75,000 for bulkhead repairs in 2013 and $100,000 for more repairs in 2016.
But there has been no major overhaul for many years.
“There is a danger that it could have a failure,” Mr. Grande said.
Now the public pier, bulkhead and launch ramp will all be replaced. The project will go out to bid and work is expected to begin in the fall, he said.
“Without replacement, public access to the landing will likely be curtailed,” a press release from Governor Baker’s office said.
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