Concept to Protect, Beautify Latham Park Gets First Nod

A conceptual plan that protects from erosion and beautifies the northern part of Latham Park in Bay Spring at the same time got a unanimous nod from the Barrington Parks and Recreation Commission on Thursday evening, Nov. 21.

The plan was presented by representatives from Wright-Pierce engineering in Providence and East Coast Construction of Portsmouth. The firms are teaming up for the “design build” improvement project – one contract for design and construction. 

Cost of the project is around $225,000 with $150,00 coming from Barrington and a RI Department of Environmental Management “recreation grant” of $75,000.

“The money has to be used to create a park, not just protect the shoreline,” said Mike Seward, chairman of the recreation commission.

Protecting the shoreline from erosion will eat up the biggest chunk of the cash, though. The project will rebuild a seawall with an opening and a ramp to the other side of the wall when it is completed.

“We can’t stop Mother Nature,” said a representative from East Coast Construction. “It’s going to come, we just need to limit the impact.”

The plan calls for the following:

• Wall reconfigured to create 8-foot wide ramp with an interlocking surface.
• Timber guardrail at the parking lot.
• New center island with cobble and plantings.
• Reinforced turf porous surface for parking lot to replace the asphalt.
• Parking reconfigured to provide 13 spaces and 5 overflow spaces.
• New planting beds with groundcovers and trees.
• New flagpole location.
• Benches on concrete pads.
• Mixed shrubs and perennial plantings.

The work does not touch the playground equipment or volleyball court. It does not protect the shoreline further south along Shore Drive. That is expected to come at a later date if additional funding can be found.

The next step in the process is a preliminary design that will go before the Town Council. A final design is expected to be complete during the winter with construction expected to start in March and extend through the spring.