Revere Council calls for DCR to fix issues at Short Beach

Several city councillors say they are fed up with delays from the DCR for improvements to the Short Beach seawall and adjoining sidewalks.

At Monday night’s meeting, the council supported a motion filed by Councillors Joanne McKenna and Jim Mercurio asking for a resolution to the issue.

The motion asked the council to write a letter to the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) advocating that the DCR request funding through appropriation and/or grants relative to the repair, reconstruction, and climate-resiliency improvements of the Short Beach seawall and adjoining sidewalks along Winthrop Parkway. According to McKenna, the need for the work is laid out in the DCR’s own May 26 2025 report, DCR State Parkways Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment, which identifies Winthrop Parkway as a climate resiliency hot spot.

“I would like to say that (state) Representative Jeff Turco has been advocating for all of these issues for more than a year, but DCR is not listening,” said McKenna. “Safety is our number one concern in our city, and even if it is DCR jurisdiction, our residents use these streets and sidewalks every day. As a council, we should be advocating for the safety of the people walking and running on Winthrop Parkway.”

Holes inundate the sidewalk, covered up by upside down cones, McKenna added.

“This problem has not been fixed for over a year,” she said. “Chunks of seawall, concrete, are falling off as we speak and missing, leaving it vulnerable. A good storm, like a hurricane, will wipe out the seawall, and then what?”

The separation from the seawall to the sidewalk is a concern, with the wall being separated from the sidewalk by only six inches in some spots, she said.

“Street lights have been out for eight months,” McKenna said. “One at the pedestrian crossing at Winthrop Parkway, one light is totally missing from Short Beach.”

Mercurio noted that the seawall has been deteriorating for a number of years.

“It’s at the point where if it falls into the ocean, it’s going to be a good thing, because then it is going to get repaired,” said Mercurio. “But we are at the point right now where … that we streetlights out, there are holes in the pavement, the concrete is deteriorating – we hope that it’s not going to fall in the ocean – but it needs repair.”

Additionally, Mercurio said there are railings missing to enter Short Beach.

“The DCR has neglected this beach for a number of years and we are just looking to get it right finally,” he said.

Mercurio said the potholes on Winthrop Parkway from the skating rink to Beachmont also need to be addressed.

“We have the first public beach in the United States of America, and we have to beg to get it fixed,” said Councillor-at-Large Marc Silvestri.