Council President Reilly announces Seaport Advisory Council approval
By Joseph Domelowicz Jr.
The last piece of a multi-million dollar pier and terminal project at Winthrop’s public landing slipped nicely into place Tuesday afternoon, when the Seaport Advisory Council voted to approve a $1.7 million grant application to the town of Winthrop, with the funds going directly to pay for the construction of a new harborside terminal building, adjacent to the multi-use pier that is currently under construction on the landing.
“There is still some legislative approval that is needed, with regard to bonding authority,†said Council President Thomas Reilly, who made a presentation to the SAC prior to the vote. “But, the project itself does not need to be approved anymore. Once the legislature votes to allow the Seaport Advisory Council to go out to bond for its approved projects, our grant will be completed.
Reilly was quick to the praise the efforts of Winthrop staffers and former elected officials who have worked on the pier and terminal project for nearly a decade, as well as the efforts of State Rep. Robert DeLeo, former Senate President Robert Travaglini and Congressman Ed Markey, who between them helped to get the funding for the pier itself into place over the last two years.
“Certainly, there are a lot of people who deserve credit for all of the work they put in on this project over the years,†said Reilly. “I’m kind of here at the last leg of it, but certainly the previous boards of selectmen were all very instrumental in moving this forward and the hard work of people like Barbara McNeil (in the grants and procurement office) and (former executive Secretary) Ginna Wilder this wouldn’t have happened without them.â€