Councillor McKenna Calls for Restoration of Revere Beach Structures

By Adam Swift

Revere Beach is the city’s major tourist destination, but many of the features along the beach have been left to deteriorate and decay, according to Ward 1 City Councillor Joanne McKenna.

At last week’s council meeting, McKenna introduced a motion looking for help from the city’s legislators and the Department of Conservation and Recreation to make repairs to the gazebos, pavilions, lighting, and other historic features along the beach.

McKenna said Revere resident Arthur MacDonald provided her with photos highlighting the deterioration along Revere Beach.

“We have spent millions of dollars on this beach developing apartments, restaurants, and hotels, bringing people from all over the country and the world to Revere Beach,” said McKenna. “If you look at the license plates, you can see this holds true. The city has even created a tourist department to bring people here.”

But when those tourists come to the city and look out at the beach, McKenna said they see the deplorable condition of the pavilions, the gazebo, and the artifacts along the beach.

“This is the history of our beach, our city, and we are going to lose this if we don’t take action or care of it now,” she said. “I am asking the city, along with our legislators and DCR to work together to come up with some grants and money to restore and preserve these historical pavilions, light poles, and gazebo … so they can be admired by folks that visit our city and for the generations that follow us.”

Ward 6 Councillor Richard Serino noted that there may be money available for that restoration and preservation from a bond bill that was passed almost five years ago. He said an environmental bond bill included $10 million for repairs and improvements to the Revere Beach Reservation, including but not limited to the renourishment of Revere Beach, repairs to any failing sea walls, transportation improvements, and restorations to pavilions and period lighting structures.

“So there is money,” said Serino. “The bond bill is kind of like Monopoly money; it’s not always expended, but it is at the governor’s discretion.”

Serino said the use of money in the bond bill likely expires by the end of the year, and suggested that local state legislators and they mayor reach out to the Healey/Driscoll administration about having funds released for the Revere Beach improvements.

“Maybe the mayor can help leverage his relationship with the new governor and lieutenant governor … to put some of that money out of the bond to go towards this,” said Serino. “It’s a matter of releasing it. The Baker administration only cared about putting meters on the beach, hopefully, the Healey/Driscoll administration will be a little more amenable to helping Revere Beach.”

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