Walker Farm will be closed to vehicle traffic starting Monday, Nov. 14. 

A Barrington official said recently that the area will be closed in order to accommodate for the final phase of road construction. 

Walker Farm, a town-owned piece of waterfront property, is undergoing a significant upgrade. The work, which started in late July, is designed to improve the coastline habitat, make the property more resilient to sea level rise, and eventually improve access for the public. 

Barrington Town Planner Teresa Crean reported recently that construction work will focus on the “circle” roadway at the south end of the site from Nov. 14 to 23.

“We are hoping (it is closed) no more than 10 days,” Crean wrote in an email to the Barrington Times. “I’d like to see the boat ramp open for Thanksgiving weekend.”

The existing floating dock located next to the boat ramp is closed for the year, officials cautioned. A press release from the town stated that the floating dock will reopen in early 2023. 

“Please do not attempt to use this dock or climb on the construction fence,” stated a release from the town. 

The boat ramp at Walker Farm will remain open for motorized craft launch and haul-out until Nov. 14. The town cautioned, however, that two people are required to “on-load and off-load boats” at Walker Farm because the floating dock is closed. 

The town is encouraging people to use the boat ramp at Police Cove Park also for launching and hauling out boats. 

“The Town of Barrington extends thanks to all Walker Farm users for their cooperation and understanding as construction at the site progresses,” stated a release. 

Other Walker Farm updates: 

• Construction of the “viewing platform" is almost complete — this new platform at the existing floating dock will offer more space for waterfront activities and will include informational/interpretive signs about Walker Farm history, wildlife, and coastal systems.

• A new roadway with parking, a walkway to a future low-profile paddlecraft dock (to be installed spring 2023), and a parking lot at the north end of the site have been excavated and graded. 

• Trees have been cleared, old concrete blocks and other debris have been removed from the shoreline, and the shoreline has been smoothed out to prepare for plantings.  • Save the Bay has conducted several site inspections and site visits to ensure the shoreline work is in line with the coastal adaptation/erosion goals set in the project.

• Plantings will be managed by Save the Bay in the spring of 2023. (Anyone interested in volunteering to help with planting should contact Save the Bay.)

• The community gardens, kayak sticker program, and East Bay Rowing Club access has ended for 2022.