Last night, during the Peabody City Council’s Finance Subcommittee meeting, a long-needed plan to restore Crystal Lake took a major step forward.
In addition to getting approval on funding for a turf field at the high school and much-needed new fire equipment, Mayor Ted Bettencourt got the subcommittee’s blessing on a plan that would bring Crystal Lake back to life through dredging while creating a beautiful recreation area for residents of the city.
Subcommittee Chair David Gravel said it perfectly when he added during the meeting that “if you look at all these programs, they tell people Peabody is on the move. We’re investing in ourselves.”
Find out what's happening in Peabodywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
That will not only mean a better quality of life for our residents, but also sends a message that Peabody is a great place to live and do business. Projects like these can have a ripple effect when it comes to expanding our commercial tax base too, which in turn will help us stabilize taxes for residents.
But the project I find of most interest is Crystal Lake. This little pond in West Peabody has for years been dying because of silt deposits, weeds, and roadway runoff from Lowell Street. The dredging will restore the lake, open it for boating, other recreational uses, and make it an environmental gem.
Find out what's happening in Peabodywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The best part is that the cost of the dredging is not likely to have a noticeable impact on the residential tax rate, since much of the money will come from several different sources already earmarked for these types of projects.
For example, late State Rep Joyce Spiliotis fought hard a few years ago to get Peabody $600,000 from a state environmental fund that will now be used for the dredging. The funding will also be offset through Community Preservation Commission funds, and a grant from the Peabody Municipal Light Plant.
If elected Ward 5 Councilor on Tuesday, Nov. 5, I look forward to working with Mayor Bettencourt, and the rest of the City Council to ensure that the Crystal Lake project continues moving forward.
Hats off to the Mayor, the city council, and all those who worked to move these very important quality of life projects forward.
