The Wellesley Recreation Commission this week held a public hearing (see Wellesley Media recording) to share the latest on plans for redeveloping the Morses Pond beachfront area, including new bathhouse and administrative buildings on the opposite side of the beach.

A plan has been under discussion since 2018, with meetings between the town’s design/engineering/architect partners and the Select Board, Natural Resources Commission, the Rec Commission and the public taking place along the way. The pandemic didn’t exactly speed up the process of finalizing an associated feasibility and design study. But the town’s partners said they are now looking to finalize a report for the town by year-end if their design is approved soon.

Assuming that happens, the Rec Commission’s Mark Wolfson said that the hope is to get approval for the engineering and design phase at Annual Town Meeting in the spring, and then get approval for the project itself a year later. Rec Commission members are hopeful that the Community Preservation Committee will come through with much of the funding, based on its favorable reception to the general plan, with the town covering the rest.

Johnathan Law with engineering & design firm Weston & Sampson shared an update on the master plan for this project introduced in 2021, and acknowledged that due to rising construction, materials, and labor costs, the grand vision has been scaled back. “We can deliver a great project, but at the same time try to make it as cost efficient as possible,” he said, noting the original project plan would cost about $7.6 million.

Some $1 million in elements cut from the original plan would include a boardwalk along Ice Pond, a wood deck near the beach, and an exercise equipment area (many of these elements could be added back later if funding became available). Also shelved are parking lot changes that could be moot anyway due to the possibility of pickleball courts heading to that space (nothing firm here).

Retained are designs to make the Morses Pond beachfront and amenities more accessible to anyone, and existing features such as the swing set will remain.

Site work estimates have been cut from nearly $4 million to more like $2.5 million for additional savings.

Architect Zac Cardwell from the firm of Maryann Thompson dove into the look and feel of the planned changes, including new buildings made from natural materials—possibly timber frame—and featuring lots of windows (for eyes on the beach, for safety) and shade areas to help patrons get out of the sun. Sustainability boxes have been checked as well. The architecture firm has worked on other local beach projects, including the bathhouse at Walden Pond in Concord.

Questions from residents at the meeting included those related to sun protection during different times of the day, potential loss of view based on tree plantings, traffic safety on a new access road, availability of bike racks, the possible use of technology to ease patron check-ins, and availability of lockers for keeping personal items secured.

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The unseasonably warm weather made for a spooky, foggy last day of 2022, as captured in this photo of Morses Pond by Priscilla Messing.

On new year’s day, a hardy crew started the morning with a run and a good number of them took a dip in Morses Pond to celebrate the arrival of 2023.

A new year, a new Morses Pond beach plan. Wellesley’s Recreation Department has had to be creative over the past couple of years during the pandemic, putting into place a reservation system and other protocols to keep the beach safe and manageable, and this year it’s got another new plan in light of current public health conditions.

The town’s Recreation Commission held several public meetings to gather input from the public on how the beach might be run this season.

The official beach opening will start on June 6 with open swim, no lifeguards, and no docks. The yellow gate at Turner Road will be monitored by Recreation staff, and only residents will be allowed to park in the lot (non-residents can walk, run, or bike in).

When Wellesley Public Schools let out in mid-June, and trained lifeguards become available, the beach will convert to member use with lifeguards on duty. Last year the beach operated without lifeguards. This year the Rec Department has about a dozen lifeguards signed on—it’s been a challenge, because some past Morses Pond lifeguards have moved on to jobs at pools, while a pipeline of new lifeguards has been blocked by a lack of courses being available during the pandemic. Recreation Department Director Matt Chin referred to the lifeguard shortage as “a nationwide issue,” when he briefed us on the Morses Pond plan.

But the Rec Department has a plan in place to train lifeguards and operate safely with the ones it has, and laid those plans out during the May 5 Recreation Commission meeting (starting at about 20 minutes into the Wellesley Media recording). The department even got another application from a potential lifeguard during that meeting.

The price for a membership is going up this season, as is the daily rate for residents (non-residents can secure a season pass, but not daily passes). Family passes for residents will be $250 (up from $170 in 2019) and $375 for non-residents, with individual adult passes for residents at $125 and individual child/senior passes at $60. Residents can also pay $10 per person for a daily entry. Look for membership registration information soon on the Wellesley Rec site (there are no plans for a discount super sale this time around).

The season is slated to end Aug. 21, as lifeguards will be heading back to school, etc. around then. The beach will return to the open swim model then, with park rangers monitoring the area until at least through Labor Day weekend.

The Recreation Commission has had a variety of beach operation models to review over the past few years, and one goal this year is to try to run the beach at least around a break-even level. In years before the pandemic it would sometimes run at a $30K-$50K loss, with other programs throughout the year making up the difference.

More: Morses Pond guided trail walk, May 15, 2022, 9-10am

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