By: Sarah Bawden, WPRI 12
WESTERLY, R.I. (WPRI) — The 7.31 acres of coastal land where Water Wizz of Westerly once stood are now permanently protected from future development.
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) bought a conservation easement from the seaside town to safeguard the former waterpark, which is now an undeveloped salt marsh off of Winnapaug Pond.
The conservation easement was purchased with the assistance of a $2.64 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The federal funding was made available through the Coastal Zone Management Act.
“This property represents a major win for coastal habitat preservation, climate resiliency, and public shoreline access,” DEM Director Terry Gray said. “The DEM is grateful for the federal funding that helped bring this vision to life.”
SEE ALSO: RI lawmakers, advocates push for ‘bottle bill’
The goal of the conservation easement is to “protect valuable habitat, enhance coastal access and buffer nearby communities from climate change and sea level rise,” according to the DEM.
“Rhode Island’s more than 400 miles of shoreline are a defining part of what makes the Ocean State so unique,” Gov. Dan McKee said. “Protecting this land not only improves public access to Winnapaug Pond, but also strengthens our state’s conservation resilience efforts.”
Save The Bay will assist the DEM with crafting a restoration plan for the property. That plan will include the removal of invasive plants and replacing them with native vegetation, as well as improving stormwater management, creating accessible and permeable footpaths, and installing a paddle craft launch.
The DEM’s goal is to have the property fully transformed by next summer.
Water Wizz of Westerly closed for good back in 2019 after 40 years in business.
NEXT: RI cities, towns work to combat financial strain of improper recycling