In 2023, the City received a Coastal Resilience Grant from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) to develop a vision and implementable schematic designs for a resilient Lynch Park. Severe flooding overtook the park most recently during a nor’easter on December 23, 2022, compromising park infrastructure and emphasizing the need to prepare and adapt Lynch Park for a future with sea-level rise, stronger coastal storms, and increased precipitation.
This 8-month project will start in November 2023 with data collection, coastal modeling and field investigation activities to document current conditions and vulnerabilities. These activities will include an evaluation of the seawall, including its relationship with the historic Carriage House, to inform recommendations and grant opportunities for near-term necessary repairs. The project team will develop a stormwater management plan and schematic designs to address drainage issues.
The project will include a visioning process that challenges community members to consider how global climate change affects our local built and natural assets, and specifically to identify priority areas for protection and for adaptation.