A former lumber yard in Acushnet will now serve as a community park.

On Friday, The Buzzard's Bay Coalition celebrated the Sawmill Park's grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Federal, state, and local officials were on hand for the opening.

The project started in 1999 when the property was purchased to create the park. The Coalition received $3.6 million in federal and state funding through the Harbor Pollution Cleanup Fund.

The park includes a restored building from the sawmill, which now serves as the Hawes Family Learning Center.

The project also relocated part of the river to where it was before the sawmill was built.

Buzzard's Bay Coalition President, Mark Rasmussen says clean-up efforts have allowed species like river herring to flourish since the project's completion.

"Fish for 300 years have not been able to get out of the bay, up to their spawning ponds on this river... That end's with this project. So we've corrected the environmental wrong," Rasmussen tells WBSM News.

The 19-acre park includes a kayak launching spot along with fishing areas, and hiking paths.

Jon Faria/TSM
Jon Faria/TSM
loading...

More From WBSM-AM/AM 1420