April 2, 2019 by Carol Britton Meyer
Summer is on its way and with it, the expected opening of the new bathhouse early in the season.
There's nothing like a cooling swim in the ocean, a picnic in the Grove, a stroll along the new brick walkway, or some downtime basking in the sun while enjoying spectacular views of the harbor at the popular Hingham Bathing Beach off Rte 3A.
And now with the arrival of milder weather, preparatory site work for the new modular bathhouse/concession stand/community room with a maritime theme continues. "The piles that will support the building have already been installed," said Bathing Beach Trustee Alan Perrault. "The building should be taking shape by early May with an opening likely a few weeks into the summer."
The Community Preservation Committee recently voted unanimously to recommend allocating $120,000 of the town's Community Preservation Act funds for contingency/finish work. This is one of the articles on the April 22 Town Meeting agenda for consideration by voters. CPA funds come from a tax surcharge approved by Hingham voters in the early 2000s. This money may only be used for open space, community housing, open space acquisition, and some recreational projects.
The first proposal for the new bathhouse came in over budget. So it was back to the drawing board to come up with a less-expensive but aesthetically pleasing modular design. Total funding for the project to date not including the above request is $1.2 million, including:
* a $700,000 Seaport Economic Council grant;
* a $150,000 2016 Town Meeting-approved Community Preservation Committee allocation; and
* an additional 2017 Town Meeting-supported $350,000 grant.
Signs depicting the history of the area will be installed along the harborfront, funded by a Greenbush Historic Preservation Trust grant.