As the Town of Inlet readies the next phase of its Arrowhead Park waterfront revitalization project, it is still taking input as to “scope and need” of certain alterations that have been planned, according to Supervisor John Frey.
Specifically, the focus has been put on limiting planned tree removals to the bare minimum, he said.
In particular, some in the community have been stating the case in defense of a majestic white pine that had been marked for removal.
“There was a lot of discussion at [Tuesday’s] board meeting,” Frey said.
The citizen committee tasked with maximizing the beauty and utility of Arrowhead Park for future generations, decided that an expansion of the existing restroom building was advisable.
This would allow for a quality bathhouse for users of the park’s nearby public beach.
To realize this new facility, the white pine would have to be sacrificed, according to the engineers.
But when people starting protesting the move, Frey said he tasked the engineers with finding another solution.
The engineers said that if they went light on the foundation—pole type support in lieu of a full foundation—the new bath house could be supported without disrupting the white pine’s fragile root system.
“It’s a minimalist foundation,” said Frey. “You’re talking about disturbing maybe a two-foot circle as opposed to a three-foot trench. You can go between the roots that way.”
Inlet’s Town Board agreed to a final walk-through of the project on Thursday with Dan Knuth, an Inlet business owner.
“He runs a landscaping firm, so his help will be invaluable,” Frey said.
Some paths that are slated for construction, along with a stairway to the boardwalk will also be examined during the walk-through with Knuth.
If they need repositioning to minimize tree removal, that will be done also, according to Frey.
“Yes, even at this late date we’re still willing to try and incorporate what’s brought forward. But we are up against a funding issue where we’re on an extension to this grant already, and we’re trying to still make some of this happen before the snow flies,” Frey said.
