NEWBURYPORT — Mayor Donna D. Holaday is pleased to announce a ribbon cutting will be held next week to mark the completion of the city’s shoreline resiliency and rail trail project.
WHEN:
Wednesday, June 9, at 4 p.m.
WHERE:
Southern end of the corridor at the intersection of the Clipper City Rail Trail and Joppa Park, near 181 Water St.
Parking is available on the intersecting side streets.
WHO:
- Mayor Donna Holaday
- Newburyport City Council
- Sen. Diana DiZoglio
- City of Newburyport Boards and Committees:
- Community Preservation Committee
- Parks Commission
- Water & Sewer Commission
- Resiliency Committee
- Project Contractors
- Hot Tamale Brass Band of Boston
- Metzy’s Taqueria Food Truck
WHAT:
The City of Newburyport will hold a ribbon cutting celebrating the completion of its shoreline resiliency, critical infrastructure project and rail trail project.
The project installed a sloped stone revetment wall that stabilizes approximately 900 feet of the Merrimack River’s shoreline, protecting the city’s wastewater treatment facility. An elevated berm was also constructed behind the wall, and a paved trail on top completes the missing riverfront segment of the Clipper City Rail Trail.
“The City acquired this land from the railroad 15 years ago, and we have worked through many challenges over the years to get to this day,” Mayor Holaday said. “It is thrilling to see this significant step toward greater climate resilience for the community as well as opening this beautiful new section of Rail Trail along the Merrimack River.”
In 2018, significant storms caused erosion and flooding across the previous rail corridor and up to the wastewater treatment facility, demonstrating the vulnerability of the facility and the trail. The city cleaned up contaminated soils discovered on a portion of the site following the storms, and construction began in December 2020. Trail users have utilized a detour along Water Street during construction.
The city received a $1 million grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program to support the project, as well as a $100,000 grant from the state’s MassTrails Grant Program and local match funding.
At the ribbon-cutting event, the Hot Tamale Brass Band of Boston will perform traditional New Orleans jazz, Dixieland and second line music. The band will lead a short parade along the waterfront trail, approximately a quarter-mile long and ending at 115 Water Street. At this location, Metzy’s Taqueria food truck will be stationed next to the trial with gourmet tacos available for sale.
For more information, contact Senior Project Manager in Newburyport’s Planning Office Geordie Vining at gvining@cityofnewburyport.com.
###