Westerly cleans up after back-to-back storms
Recent storm damage in Westerly is still being cleaned up along Atlantic Ave and the Misquamicut coastline.
- The property housed a water park until 2019, but also contains approximately 6 acres of undeveloped salt marsh.
- The Department of Environmental Management and Town of Westerly spent over $3 million to acquire the land. Most of the money came from a federal grant.
- Plans for the site include creating permeable walking paths and a launch for paddleboards and kayaks.
WESTERLY – The former Water Wizz park in Misquamicut will be permanently conserved as open space, allowing the public to access Winnapaug Pond.
“This property represents a major win for coastal habitat preservation, climate resiliency, and public shoreline access,” Terry Gray, director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, said in an April 17 news release.
The water park closed in 2019, after 40 years in business. The DEM and Town of Westerly subsequently teamed up to purchase the land, a 7-acre parcel that stretches from Atlantic Avenue to Winnapaug Pond.
According to the news release, the DEM received a $2.6 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Coastal Zone Management Program that allowed the agency to purchase a conservation easement for the property.
Records show that the total purchase price came to over $3 million, and the town contributed $520,000.
Waterslides will be replaced with walking paths and paddlecraft launch
The property includes a building that contains apartments and a retail store, according to the tax assessor’s database, as well as about 6acres of undeveloped salt marsh.
Though the waterslides are gone, the former Water Wizz will still be a site for recreation. The DEM intends to create permeable walking paths leading to Winnapaug Pond, and a launch for paddleboards and kayaks, according to the release.
DEM’s Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is working with the town to come up with a management plan for the property, the release said. Save The Bay is also helping devise a plan to regrade the land, remove invasive plants, and plant native vegetation, so that it will be more resilient to climate change.
“The addition of this conservation easement is a great asset for the local community and visitors alike by preserving the property for public access to Winnapaug Pond, allowing endless recreation activities year-round,” Westerly Town Administrator Shawn Lacey said in a statement. “This partnership and investment will protect the property for many generations to enjoy.”
