A new dock will also be built at the north ramp for boaters to tie onto in order to use the restrooms and take a short break on Congamond Lake in Southwick. (File photo by Frederick Gore)
BOSTON – With summer’s busy boating season in full swing, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan announced the completion of 18 Massachusetts fishing and boating access projects, including two projects in Southwick.
“Fishing and boating is enjoyed by more than one million Massachusetts residents and visitors each year,” said Sullivan. “These completed projects will provide additional recreational opportunities throughout the Commonwealth.”
This year’s boating access projects, managed by the Office of Fishing and Boating Access (FBA), include repair and new construction of boat ramps, cartop boat access areas, new boarding floats, barrier-free fishing piers, renovations to parking areas and road repairs.
“Maintaining our more than 275 fishing and boating access areas is important for people who fish, boat and spend their money on outdoor recreation in Massachusetts,” said Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Commissioner Mary Griffin. “Fishing and boating access construction is a great investment in the Commonwealth’s recreational infrastructure.”
The FBA spent $3,000 in building repairs at both the north and south ramps of the Congamond Lakes, which combined accommodate 48 vehicles with trailers and 10 vehicles for cartop boats. The 450-acre Congamond Lakes are very popular with recreational boaters and anglers who pursue trout stocked by DFG’s Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, largemouth bass, chain pickerel and black crappie. The facilities are managed by the Town of Southwick.
Lake Management Chairman Richard Grannells said the south ramp improvement was part of an Eagle Scout project initiated by scout and resident Matt Merchant.
“They paid for the materials and he did the work,” said Grannells.
The project included new siding and trim at the south ramp building. Similarly, the FBA supplied funds for improvements at the north ramp building and the work is being performed by Westfield Vocational Technical High School construction students. Grannells said they have not completed the project due to weather-related delays.
“They will come back in the fall to finish,” Grannells said.
That project also include some structural improvements to several rotted portions of the building, as well as new vinyl siding.
“We have another major project coming this fall,” Grannells said. “The 30 year-old concrete slabs at the north ramp boarding ramps will be replaced.”
A single slab of concrete will be poured to replace the existing slabs, which Grannells said will be sturdier. It will also be grooved, which makes the surface less slippery.
“It’s safer for launching and the grooves are better for traction, and they don’t heave with the ice in winter,” said Grannells.
A new dock will also be built at the north ramp for boaters to tie onto in order to use the restrooms and take a short break. Grannells said they can tie onto the dock for a short time then return back to the water, something they cannot do now on the boarding docks.
“You can only tie onto the boarding docks to get on and off,” he said, “You can’t get out and use the restrooms or be there for any amount of time.”
That work is scheduled to start Sept. 15 and take six to eight weeks.
Funds for the acquisition, construction and maintenance of FBA facilities comes from several sources; state general funds, bond appropriations, revenue from the sale of the Division of Marine Fisheries’ recreational salt water fishing permits, and federal reimbursements by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service under the federal Sport Fish Restoration Act..
The $1.64 million invested in the projects has generated more than $2.75 million in economic activity for the Commonwealth, including engineering services, construction, and building materials.
Another area project was at Otis-Shaw Pond where the FBA managed repairs to the parking area valued at $40,000. The facility has parking for 10 vehicles with trailers and the 80-acre pond has fishing for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, chain pickerel and black crappie. Day to day management of the site is by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).
In addition to numerous lake projects, the DCR announced its Universal Access Program (UAP) will offer accessible canoeing for individuals with disabilities, their families and friends at Hampton Pond in Westfield.
Adaptive equipment, teamwork and staff instruction will be provided to help people of all abilities access boating and have fun. In addition to canoeing, UAP provides accessible sailing, rowing, kayaking, cycling, hiking and horseback riding throughout the summer and fall, as well as cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, kick sledding, snowmobiling and ice skating in winter.
Accessible canoeing at Hampton Ponds takes place Tuesday Aug. 6 and 13 from 10:45 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. Cost is $5.
