New State Park in Dighton will be part of the Taunton River Trail

The Taunton River watershed has a new state park. Sweets Knoll State Park is a new 56 acre park located on the Taunton River in Dighton. It includes about two miles of old railroad bed that will be converted into a walking and bike path and connected to the Taunton River Trail system, which is still in development.

The state park was established in 2010 with the purchase of the land at 1387 Somerset Ave. The land was purchased by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation with the assistance of the Wildlands Trust of Southeastern Massachusetts and the Sheehan Family Fund. The landowner donated his former residence which will remain on the property. The park is open to the public and will soon have a public access site for launching small boats, and for fishing access to the Taunton River.

The acquisition of this state park has provided a major boost to the Taunton River Trail committee which has been developing a trail network from Raynham through Somerset and connecting with trails in Fall River and Rhode Island. The trail will one day connect with the East Bay Bike Path in Rhode Island and the planned Aquidneck Island Bike Path. See the Taunton River Trail website for more information about this exciting project.

Save Our Shore, Vote Yes on Four!

On November 2, Rhode Island voters will have a unique opportunity to expand public access to Narragansett Bay by 83 acres by approving a $14.7 million bond, referendum #4.

These shoreline acquisitions will allow us to enhance three geographically and physically diverse waterfront locations to promote quality of life and the economy of our state. In Warwick, $10 million will be used to acquire 81 acres at the former Rocky Point Park, opening it up for public access and recreation. In Providence, $3.2 million will be used to acquire land adjacent to India Point Park (the abandoned “Shooters” nightclub) so that it can become an active urban gateway to the bay with expanded public access and recreational opportunities. The remaining $1.5 million will be set aside to repair crumbling masonry at Historic Fort Adams to allow greater public access and use of the dramatic interior of the Fort, including the 6.5 acre parade grounds.

This is an important time to acquire and support these properties to enhance access to the Bay and increase tourism to our state. For those of you who have fond memories of Rocky Point Park, this is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to secure this land for all. It is also a great chance to open up Fort Adams to the public and fully enjoy this historic site. This money will also open up access to the Bay in an urban area just outside the hurricane barrier, where water access is limited.

Find out more at the Save Our Shore website and sign up to volunteer on election day. If you would like a lawn sign or bumper sticker, you can pick one up here at Save The Bay or any of these locations.

Get Out for a Paddle!

The RI Blueways Alliance is celebrating paddling in the Narragansett Bay Watershed with Paddle09, a series of paddle trips throughout June and July. These trips are organized by watershed organizations, Save the Bay, RIDEM and local outfitters and are designed to introduce recreational paddlers to the varied and beautiful rivers and coastal waters in our watershed. This is a great way to see a new part of the state from a different perspective and to support our local watershed groups.

You can see a full list of trips on the Rhode Island Blueways Alliance website. Also, see Save The Bay's Summer Paddle Page for a list of our events. Hope to see you out on the water!