Eastbayri.com

BARRINGTON — Work is underway to turn Police Cove Park into an area for all to enjoy.

The site is smaller than a football field, but nonetheless a prime piece of town-owned waterfront property. The lot has been vacant since the state leased it as a staging area for the Barrington Bridge construction project.

On Monday night, Jan. 30, the Police Cove Committee, representatives from the consulting group hired to work on plans for the park, Ken Farmer from Project For Public Places, town council members, and a handful of residents attended a workshop focused on the park. The attendees also shared ideas and opinions on what the park could become; consensus was to utilize the waterfront as much as possible.

The evening began with Stephen Derderian, a representative from the consulting group, reviewing the concept plans drafted by the park committee. He showed the concept plan that will be used as a template for a first phase, which will include adding more parking, lighting, benches, landscape, grass, a transient dock, and improvements to the sea wall, among other upgrades.

The budget for the park upgrades is about $500,000 with the possibility of an additional $200,000 in grant money from the state.

“The first phase is meant to be a palette to work from,” he said.

The group broke up into three smaller groups and reviewed more drawings with various add-ons to the park.

Garrett Ames, of Surrey Road, said he would like to see more access to the water and less parking.

“My family would want to be as close to the water as possible. I would like to see the parking be in the front near the road,” he said.

Some of the other suggestions for the park ranged from year-round use that included a skating rink with a fire pit, kayak and bike rentals, coffee and ice cream sales, tables and games like mini-golf, fishing gear rentals and more.

The hired consultants will next use the feedback to create a schematic design for the committee to review at a meeting to be scheduled for sometime in February.

Barrington Town Planner Phil Hervey said that cost estimates will be determined and a proposal will be prepared to present to the Town Council as soon as March.