Massasoit State Park Reopens to Vehicles After Seven Years

Taunton's Massasoit State Park is once again vehicle accessible.

State Representative Keiko Orrall unlocked the gate herself Wednesday morning, seven years after the park had closed.

Orrall tells WBSM News the State Park will be staffed for the summer, but there's still much more work to be done, including restoration of the park's sprawling campgrounds. "There's a lot of work that needs to be done before it's fully functional. But it's a 1,500 acre park in a gateway city with five lakes. It's a gem. It's a resource for our area," said Orrall.

The park closed in 2008 after a thunderstorm cut power to the park's facilities. The State, citing economic hardship, decided not to staff the park until this year, thanks to lobbying from State Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Matthew Beaton.

Orrall says the park will be staffed for the rest of the summer.