There will be a Morses Pond (MOPO) Beach & Bathhouse Feasiblity & Design Study Public Hearing on Dec. 16, 2019, at 6pm at the Warren Building, 90 Washington St.
The Wellesley Recreation Department, with the assistance of about $80k from Community Preservation funds, hired Weston & Sampson to conduct a Feasibility & Design study of the MOPO Beach and Bathhouse. As part of the study, Weston & Sampson will conduct the Dec. 16 public hearing for residents and Morses Pond patrons to give their input on the study’s findings and suggestions.
Back in August 2019, Weston & Sampson led a MOPO public engagement and listening session about their first ideas for improving the beach area and bathhouse. About 40 stakeholders were in attendance. At that time, it was estimated that the feasibility study would be completed by late Fall 2019. The MOPO area, located at 13 Turner Rd., encompasses about five acres and is owned by the town.
During the presentation, Weston & Sampson representatives listed project priorities. (You can see information about the
August 2019 presentation here.)
Topping the list for suggested MOPO changes:
- Improve the bathhouse, staff areas, storage
- Improve exterior site and landscape elements
- Enhance water-based play experience and accessibility
- Facilitate walking/hiking and related passive recreational use
- Enhance natural resources and habitat
- Expand user amenities and revenue generation opportunities
- Look at the entire site from an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) perspective
MOPO beach fees generated $159K in revenue last year, and the area has attracted between 18,000 to 28,000 visitors per year in recent years.
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