Renovations Planned for Town Beach

By Kristen Levine, Reporter
Paul Cathcart of the Economic Development Committee, or EDC, shared details of upcoming projects for the Sterling Town Beach. While still in-process for planning, funds allocations and shopping bids to contractors, Cathcart is hopeful for the results and what they will do to reignite interest in the area.
“It’s a two-fold plan,” he said. “[The beach] has been plagued with drainage issues for a very long time…. there’s the drainage project with the civil engineering company Whitman, Bingham & Associates. There will be drainage ponds put in – all the water that comes down from the hill has dumped into the lake, and [with the drainage ponds] that will not happen anymore. The beach has been eroding sand into the water … there’s no sense to do recreational revitalization to the area until [the ponds] are done.”
The drainage project will work in conjunction with the Conservation Committee to “maintain the water quality of the lake,” as stated by Cathcart. “We’ll be working in concert with Conservation, so we know what they’re doing, and they know what we’re doing.”
Beyond the drainage solutions being implemented, the plans for future recreational improvements are broad. Funding has been addressed through state means.
“There’s a million-dollar bond from the state,” Cathcart said. “We’re waiting to get access, as Covid-19 slowed us down – now that things have opened up again, we’re pushing to get money. We don’t have a timeline yet but we’re thinking the fall or winter, that’s the hope.”
While there is no solid date for when the drainage project will break ground, plans for recreational revitalization are in the works for the next step of revitalization.
“We’ll be looking at a recreational area,” Cathcart said. “A grassy area, sand [for the beach], redoing the parking lot, ADA compliance. We don’t have anything yet, no timeline and no cost, but we’re going after grants. Any money we can get to subsidize this…we’re not shy about going to private contributors.”
Cathcart noted that the economic value for the project would be a boon to the town. The beach would act as an attractive destination to visitors and locals alike, who could then branch out and see what else Sterling has to offer.
“Economic development is primarily bringing businesses in,” Cathcart said. “Notown Gifts is one of our newest businesses, and there’s others trying to come in; we’re trying to bring additional businesses in based on feedback from residents. We want Sterling to be a destination…the beach is part of that. It’s not directly connected [to businesses], but it will still draw people to town and have them stay longer.”
Support for the revitalization does not just come from the local level, but up to Massachusetts state government. Cathcart praised Governor Baker’s support for the project, saying, “Baker’s reaching out to central and western Massachusetts, and coming out this way; he’s been instrumental in helping us. [Lieutenant Governor] Karyn Polito has been very supportive as well; they’ve both done good things for the state.”
“The will and intent are there to do it,” Cathcart said. “It has the support of residents, the support of the select board, the EDC and the Conservation Committee; a lot of people are behind this and they want to see it happen. [The beach] is a diamond in the rough and we need to polish it up.”