By Adam Swift
The city council approved a $35,000 appropriation on Monday night that will help pay to complete the renovations at Fitzhenry Park.
The city’s Department of Housing and Community Development is renovating the dog park through a $385,000 grant which required a $35,000 matching grant. The matching funds will come from the city’s Community Improvement Trust.
The renovated park should be open for use in December, and fully complete by next spring, according to Tom Skwierawski, the city’s community development director.
Plans for the dog park off Shirley Avenue include a dog agility course, shade structures, benches, waste stations, water fountains, and safety measures like fencing and lighting. The renovations will help improve park functionality, comfort, and aesthetics, creating a better environment for dogs and their owners.
The project is a collaborative effort led by residents, supported by the City of Revere, The Neighborhood Developers (TND), and TDI Partners.
“We’re fortunate to receive a $40,000 earmark from Representative (Jeff) Turco’s office,” said Skwierawski. “We also received a grant from The Neighborhood Developers working with Mass Development, and then we also have Community Development Block Grants to complete this job.”
The dog park is one of three new parks the city has installed in the Shirley Avenue neighborhood, he said, along with the 69 Shirley Ave. forest pocket park and the Flaherty Square improvements that are currently underway.
“This is something we have been working on for almost two years now … the last two years have been very active,” said Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky. “We want to use the CIT money as part of a group financial package, so everybody is putting into this. It’s a local dog park … the first one on the east side of Revere, and we look forward to it opening up soon.”
Skwierawski said some landscaping will need to be finished in the spring, but said the park should be opened up soon.
Ward 1 Councillor Joanne McKenna asked about an old horse’s drinking trough that is in the park, and Skwierawski said the city will not be moving it.
