Town Administrator Derek Sullivan spoke with a sense of urgency as he once again presented plans to revamp Onset’s Bayview Park at the Board of Selectmen meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 4. 

The project has $279,000 in state Community Development Block Grant money, but still requires $1.1 million in funds, which could come from the Community Preservation Act. Voters would have to approve the use of those funds at spring’s Town Meeting. 

“We really have to move our butts,” Sullivan said, “to use the technical term.” 

The new and improved Bayview Park would feature a plethora of accessibility and aesthetic improvements, such as a widened sidewalk on Onset Avenue, a ramp leading to the gazebo, metal guardrails and fencing around the Memorial Rock. Municipal Maintenance would also install more lighting, move benches to spots with scenic waterfront views, prune trees and plant new trees and shrubs.

“One of the things that I think is truly fantastic is creating this circular [path through the park] and creating a hub,” Sullivan said.

The paths would comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

Select Board member threw his support behind the changes, saying that they were not only necessary for safety, but would show that Wareham leadership “gives back to every area, especially Onset.”

The Select Board agreed that increasing the park’s beauty and accessibility was a top priority due to Onset’s popularity as a vacation destination.

Sullivan said that construction would be “quick,” but would have to be delayed until after the busy summer tourist season.