Article 8 secured funding for the final phase of the South River Park expansion project. Community Preservation Committee (CPC) Chair Dennis Keller explained that the $989,363 appropriation will fund the construction of a new park section on an unbuildable lot adjacent to the current park, as well as necessary ADA compliance upgrades for existing walkways. The project is the culmination of a multi-year effort that began with land acquisition in 2023.

Susan Karen of the Open Space Committee detailed the scope of the work, which includes the demolition of old concrete foundations and the remediation of soils containing coal ash. The expansion will eventually link to the South River Greenway, a planned continuous walking path. During the discussion, resident Steve Licatus asked about potential contamination from the neighboring gas station, but Karen assured voters that subsurface testing found only coal ash, which will be capped with clean fill. The project is expected to break ground in spring 2026.

Motion: The Open Space Committee and the Community Preservation Committee move that the town vote to appropriate the sum of $989,363 for construction cost related to improvements at 2160 Ocean Street.

Vote: Passed by Majority