Community Corner
Mount Hope Marina Site will Be Preserved Forever
The town and the Aquidneck Land Trust purchased the property for $900,000 and it will eventually become a waterfront park.
PORTSMOUTH, RI—A 4.9 acre area of land and water that juts out into Mount Hope Bay with stunning water views framed by the Mount Hope Bridge has been purchased by the town of Portsmouth and the Aquidneck Land Trust for permanent preservation.
The long-term plan is to convert the parcel, located at the intersection of Bayview Avenue and Bristol Ferry Road, into a public park and recreational area.
The town and the land trust announced the arrangement after closing on the transaction on Monday.
The town will own the land while the Aquidneck Land Trust will hold a conservation easement that will protect the land from development in perpetuity.
The site was once a ferry landing between Portsmouth and Bristol until the Mount Hope Bridge was built in 1929. It is referenced in historical documents dating back to the 1600s.
The site needs clearing and seawall renovation but the future vision entails a waterfront park for visitors to enjoy passive recreation activities, according to a news release.
“The Mount Hope Marina property is an important part of Portsmouth’s history,” said Town Council President Keith Hamilton. “It is a location where many of our town’s early settlers came ashore. It will be a beautiful waterfront park for all of Portsmouth to be able to enjoy forever.”
Plans for the park have not been sketched, though a timeline predicts the site will be open by the summer of 2017. Before that, a park planning process with community involvement will begin in the next year to develop a design. In the meantime, the town will be looking at grant opportunities and soliciting input from the community.
The purchase price was $900,000 with the town contributing $600,000 and the ALT paying $300,000. The town’s money came through existing bond funds.
“Portsmouth is lacking in waterfront public access open space. The land trust is thrilled to work with the Town to bring a waterfront park to Portsmouth with such high scenic and recreational conservation values. I’m excited to see the Mount Hope site transform into a gem along the Portsmouth coast” said Chuck Allott, Executive Director of the Aquidneck Land Trust.
Photo caption: Aerial view of the future Mount Hope Park site. Photo by Craig Issod.
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