MWRA Meeting Draws Small Crowd

The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority held its spring Deer Island visitor’s center community forum last Thursday night at there were a few impassioned opinions about speed, the clientele the island attracts and security.

A small group that gathered was pleased to hear that the MWRA will not be building a 20 spot parking area to go along with the construction of a new fish pier.

MWRA head Fred Laskey said they heard it loud and clear when people voice opposition to putting the lot in a grassy meadow. Instead there will be a small handicap lot near the pier, which is being built by the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

“We’re committed not to building a parking lot in a large meadow,” Laskey said.

Laskey, along with MWRA security head Kathryn White, shared how they have additional foot patrols on the island and an improvement to 911 reception. All 911 calls from the island will go to the Winthrop/Revere combined dispatch center. There are now three patrols after dusk, all checkpoints are documented.

“The park is open dawn to dusk and we strongly encourage ‘see something, say something’,” White said. “We also have electric vehicles patrolling the paths.”