After suffering damage over the winter from severe flooding and storms, the Harry McDonough Sailing Program is in jeopardy of not opening on its scheduled program start of July 9th. In order for the program to open, new docks and a safety boat are needed to ensure that the program is safe for the young sailors.
But thanks to the the Community Preservation Act funding for a new dock for the sailing program has been recommended for funding approval by Mayor Marty Walsh.
To refresh your memory, back in 2016 we voted in favor of the Community Preservation Act which levies a $1 percent surcharge on property taxes to help fund community projects.
According to the Boston Globe, an opening list of projects include restoring churches in Roxbury to an urban farm in Hyde Park, in addition to a new dock for the sailing program. There are 35 total project recommended for $8 million in funding.
So one step closer to the wildly popular Harry McDonough sailing program opening this season – which is huge considering hundreds of families rely on this free summer program!
State Senator Nick Collins believes that this program is an important resource for the city and we need to come together as a community to get the sailing center back on track. “It’s one of the only programs of its kind offered at no cost to families. It would be a travesty of it were to close. But it doesn’t stay open by accident. Every year dedicated board members pull it together on a shoestring and that’s unsustainable. In order to remain a community resource open to all, major capital investment is required to replace old infrastructure that has worn and been badly damaged in last year’s storm.”
The funding from the Community Preservation Act is one step in the right direction!
image via Deb McCarthy Photography
Great..
Our tax dollars at work????????