The long awaited work to the new Police Cove Park is in the final stages with officials looking to set a date for a grand opening celebration, possibly in the fall.

After years of planning, the last steps to complete the park are on the horizon. According to Barrington Town Planner Phil Hervey, the final touches to landscaping include the crushed shell surface for the picnic table area and hydro-seeding the lawn areas, and the final coat of asphalt.

"We’ll wait on the top coat until after the boat ramp is rebuilt. It looks like we’ll get the additional funding from the state we need to cover the full cost of the ramp," Mr. Hervey said.

One issue that has yet to be resolved are the power lines that run along the shoreline.

"We’re trying to figure out a solution to a bird problem that’s creating a mess where the power and communication lines are strung over the benches near the water," said Mr. Hervey.

"Pigeons have taken a liking to those wires. We have this device called a Bird B Gone that emits sounds of predatory birds. We’ll see how that works. Long-term, moving the wires is the solution but we need to determine feasibility and cost."

New boat ramp

Construction of the ramp, which is being added to the contract with William Anthony Excavating, the company doing the work, is expected to start within a month and should take about four weeks to finish, Mr. Hervey said.

The  Police Cove Park project involves the construction of the new park within the town-owned 3.25-acre “Police Cove” — the site where the former police station was located. It rests on the Barrington River adjacent to County Road and the new Barrington River Bridge.

Plans for the park were designed by consultant group VHB, who worked with Mr. Hervey and the Police Cove Park Committee for close to two years. Together they developed plans with the goal of creating a vibrant, multi-functional park that capitalizes on its highly accessible location adjacent East Bay Bike Path, County Road, and the river.

Cost of construction for the project has come from a $300,000 RI DEM Recreation Grant, $340,000  is also from Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program – Federal Highway Administration funds administered by RIDOT, and approximately $220,000 from lease payments the state paid the town to use the site for a construction staging area for the bridge.

The cost of the boat ramp is approximately $185,700 with additional engineering fees of $35,000. The funding source is the Rhode Island Department of Transportation.

VHB is also designing the walkway and foundation for a new restroom building to be built in the hillside near the pump station. The building would be similar to the prefab restrooms installed at Cliff Walk at the end of Narragansett Avenue in Newport. Funding for the restroom is from a $100,000 RIDEM grant.

Mr. Hervey said he hopes to at least prepare the site for the building this fall and have it fully installed by spring of 2016.

Other finishing touches include the installation of a second "Big Belly" trash compactor/recycling unit, the commissioning of a sign-maker who is working on the entrance sign to “Police Cove Park” and the installation of public art.

The Police Cove Park Committee, as part of a national contest, last year selected an artist to install a sculpture. Cranston artist Wright Deter is about 3 to 4 weeks from wrapping up the sculpture piece that’s to be installed in the seating area near the water, Mr. Hervey said.

"We’re working on replacing the benches along the water with backless benches," he added.

The addition of an ADA-accessible waterfront seating plaza, benches, bike racks, picnic tables, LED light fixtures, pathways, including an improved connection to the East Bay Bike Path and an area for food trucks and other vendors, are to be included in the park.