Baker-Polito Administration Cuts Ribbon on Dartmouth Maritime Center
Lt. Governor Polito and local officials cut the ribbon on the new Dartmouth Maritime Center
Completes two year project to enhance maritime opportunities at Dartmouth Landing
DARTMOUTH – Friday, May 24, 2019 –Lt. Governor Karyn Polito joined local leaders to celebrate the opening of Dartmouth Maritime Center. The new Maritime Center includes the development of a waterfront esplanade, a dinghy dock area, restrooms and showers for transient boaters, and a visitor information kiosk. The Center will offer direct waterfront access to the entire community.
Since 2015, the Baker-Polito Administration has provided over $1.6 million in coastal infrastructure grants to Dartmouth through the Seaport Economic Council (SEC grants program. The Dartmouth Maritime Center received $1 million in SEC funding in February 2017 to redevelop the Town Landing and support construction of the Maritime Center. In August of that same year, Dartmouth received an additional $80,000 SEC award to conduct a Harbor Management Plan
“The Seaport Economic Council ensures that Massachusetts’ 78 coastal communities are able to utilize their unique assets and opportunities, so that they continue to grow along with the statewide blue economy,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “The opening of the Dartmouth Maritime Center exemplifies the long-term, strategic approach to supporting these cities and towns that our Administration is proud to continue through the Seaport Economic Council.”
“It’s an honor to be back in Dartmouth to open the Maritime Center we enthusiastically supported in 2017,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Chair of the Seaport Economic Council. “Our Administration looks forward to continuing to partner with leaders from Dartmouth and all coastal communities to support the growth of their local maritime industries.”
The Administration has also awarded SEC grants to UMass Dartmouth, including a $250,000 grant in August 2016 to upgrade its Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s ability to support local marine technology startups, and a $150,000 grant in February 2019 to support the creation of a Southeastern Massachusetts Marine Science and Technology Corridor in conjunction with other regional institutions and businesses.
“The Seaport Economic Council provides critical support to the coastal communities of Massachusetts, with a focus on bolstering the growth of maritime businesses and improving sustainability,” said Deputy Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Tim McGourthy, Vice Chair of the Seaport Economic Council. “Dartmouth’s new Maritime Center will benefit both residents and visitors, and provide a significant boost to the regional economy.”
“The Town of Dartmouth is excited to announce the opening of the Maritime Center in Padanaram Village,” said Dartmouth Town Administrator Shawn MacInnes. “Offering an information and education visitor center, restroom and shower facilities, transient dinghy docking, a dingy storage rack, and a panoramic harbor observation deck, this new facility will provide services to a wide variety of recreational and boating visitors in Town. This addition to Padanaram Village enhances the revitalization work that has recently been completed, and will continue to be an asset to the Town for years to come.”
“These improvements will offer direct waterfront access and recreational opportunities for families to enjoy. This is another example of state grants being used to create greater public access to the water,” said Senator Mark C. Montigny (D-New Bedford).
Since its 2015 re-launch, the Seaport Economic Council has invested over $39 million in 83 projects ranging from local to statewide in scale, with an emphasis on supporting coastal infrastructure. In its first slate of grants for 2019, the council has maintained this priority, awarding more than $3.5 million to projects ranging from shipyard, harbor, and public space upgrades to site development. It has also affirmed its commitment to education and research, granting more than $3 million for projects such as emergency preparedness and increasing maritime industry opportunities and awareness.
The Seaport Economic Council advances the Baker-Polito Administration’s support for communities and residents across the state by leveraging unique economic assets to drive sustainable regional growth. The council was re-launched in August 2015, with a mission to grow the maritime economy, promote economic development, and support resilient infrastructure in all 78 of Massachusetts’ coastal communities, while preparing them to respond to the challenges posed by rising sea levels and increasingly powerful coastal storms. The council’s capital grant program supports working waterfronts, local tourism, coastal resiliency, and maritime innovation, from the North Shore to Cape Cod and the South Coast.
Investments in coastal communities are crucial to Massachusetts’ economy, safety, and environment. The Baker-Polito Administration will continue to provide resources and programs, like Seaport Economic Council grants and MassWorks infrastructure awards, to ensure that coastal communities can improve, strengthen, and protect the Commonwealth’s coastal assets.