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Bare Cove Park Committee

Committees: Bare Cove Park Committee

2009 Annual Report

The Bare Cove Park Committee meets on the second Monday of each month at 7:00pm on the third floor at Town Hall. The public is welcome to attend. Specific dates and times are posted on the Events Calendar and on the Town Hall bulletin board located on the first floor. The Town's website contains information about the Park, including Committee members, history, Park regulations, a printable map, dog etiquette, and a photo gallery.

The spring of 2009 saw the successful completion of an ambitious multi-year project to create open space through the demolition and removal of slabs, foundations, cement barriers, railroad tracks and other debris from Bare Cove Park. Originally conceived and championed by Jane Conrad (former Treasurer) in 2005, the project found strong support in the Community Preservation Committee and at Town Meeting in 2006 and 2007 with the thoughtful advocacy of John Swanson, long-time Committee member (FY00-FY07) and former Chairman (FY04 - FY07). John and our departing Chairman, Brooks Robbins, guided the completion of both phases of this important project. We are saddened to report that John passed away on July 11, 2009. He was instrumental in securing so many enhancements to the Park that we have come to enjoy.

Building on the success of last year’s event, the 2nd Annual End Of Summer Classic Road Race was held in the Park on Friday August 28, 2009. The five mile race drew over 500 runners. The South Shore Model Railway Club became the host sponsor of the race in 2009 and donated $4,117.81 to the Friends of Bare Cove Park bank account maintained by the Town of Hingham for the Bare Cove Park Committee. This generous donation will be used by the Committee for the Triangle Garden, the dog bag program as well as activities for Hingham’s 375th Anniversary. Special thanks are extended to John Childs (Race Organizer), and the Bare Cove Park Committee members who volunteered to make this event such a success: Jim O’Hare (Vice Chairman), Patti Coyle (Treasurer) and Chuck Harvey.

On October 25, 2009, Bare Cove Park celebrated its thirty-fifth anniversary opening as a public park in the Town of Hingham. To mark the event, the Bare Cove Park Committee dedicated and installed a memorial stone to commemorate the site’s former use as a Naval Ammunition Depot. The dedication on the stone reads: “DEDICATED TO THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORKED HERE TO FURTHER THE CAUSE OF PEACE DURING WWI, WWII AND THE KOREAN CONFLICT.”

The event was highlighted by the attendance of many honored veterans and civilians with personal stories of their time at the Depot. The stone is located next to the Green Dock Building. Again, special thanks to Committee members: Chuck Harvey, Jim O’Hare, Patti Coyle, Joe Roper and Park Ranger Scott McMillan in producing such a fine event.

As a result of Scott McMillan’s efforts cleaning up the Green Dock Building for the Park’s Anniversary Celebration, the Committee voted to better utilize this space by installing a public display here, with photographs and memorabilia from the time the land was under the control of the United Stated Navy.

Korean War Veteran, Hingham High grad and Power Squadron instructor Jim Gorman regaled an audience of honored veterans and civilians with some of his memories of the Hingham NAD as part of Bare Cove Park’s 35th birthday party.
With good weather, the Green Dock Building will be opened to the public for viewing.

Lastly, at the Board of Selectmen Meeting held on February 18, 2010, the Selectmen formerly recognized the addition of 15.37 Acres to the Bare Cove Park. This land was released to the Town of Hingham by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in April, 2009.

Hundreds of visitors come to the Park each day, year round. Park Ranger Scott McMillan, with assistance from the Department of Public Works, does an excellent job making the Park an attractive and enjoyable destination. In addition to cutting the grass fields and plowing the snow from the roads and trails in winter, Scott continues to remove intrusive, non-indigenous vegetation.

The Park is a wonderful place to bring well-behaved dogs for exercise. We are happy to have Hingham’s Animal Control Officer, Leslie Badger, in the Park often. Leslie is delighted to pro-actively educate dog owners and the public about proper pet ownership and Hingham’s current dog regulations. In the spring and summer months, Leslie anticipates hosting several dog etiquette and education events in the Park.

The dog waste bag program has been a big help in keeping the Park cleaner. This program is supported by The Friends of Bare Cove Park. Tax deductible donations are gratefully accepted, and can be made to:

The Friends of Bare Cove Park
Hingham Town Hall
210 Central St
Hingham, MA 02043

The Bare Cove Park Committee works hard to preserve this lovely place for the people of our town and others in our vicinity.