Sleeping beauty

Plans to revive Watertown’s riverfront are ready, but money’s in short supply

September 04, 2011|By Jaclyn Reiss, Globe Correspondent

Jennifer Ross, standing in an area along the Charles River in Watertown… (Kayana Szmczak for The Boston…)

A lanky man sits on a park bench, looking out over the water. He delicately maneuvers his fishing pole, slowly wrapping up after a long morning of throwing his line into the Charles River and coming up empty-handed. Disappointed, he said he regretted trying his luck at this spot in Watertown.

“I should have gone to Crystal Lake in Newton,’’ said the lifetime Watertown resident, Kenny Caccitello, pointing out that waterside parks in Newton and Waltham feature more luxurious grounds and fishing options. “I almost never come here.’’

Caccitello is not the only Watertown resident to notice his community’s run-down waterfront parks. Local leaders, officials and constituents have been pushing a proposal that calls for $2 million in funding from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation to build walking and biking pathways, clean up debris, create scenic waterfront views, clarify informational signs, and construct a dock area on the river between North Beacon Street and Galen Street.

Despite the proposal’s widespread support and high priority, there is no money to start renovations, according to the state agency’s Charles River Basin project manager, Rick Corsi.

“If we had the funds to build it, we’d move forward with it,’’ Corsi said. “It’s been an area of the Charles River Basin that has needed attention for a number of years. The only thing holding us back is lack of money.’’

Corsi said he did not know whether or when funds for the project - which would take approximately 12 months to finish - would come through.

“That’s the sticky part - funding has been so tight in the Commonwealth the past few years, we really can’t speculate on when funds would become available right now,’’ he said. “But it’s good to have a project that’s ready to go out to bid. It’s already designed, we would just need to play catch up.’’

While the DCR waits for funding, some Watertown leaders have come up with their own plans to revitalize the waterfront.

The Watertown Community Foundation has hired Jennifer Ross, a recent Brandeis University master’s program graduate, to work part-time as Watertown’s riverfront coordinator to stimulate interest, awareness, and activity along the Charles.

“There are some areas in Watertown where the riverfront is run down - there are trails eroding and obstructed views,’’ Ross said.

“These areas are not utilized as much because they’re not as accessible. There are not a lot of picnic tables and park benches, so we want to build that up.’’

Compared with other municipalities in the vicinity, Ross said, the Watertown riverfront falls short in vigorous activities.