Lynn, Nahant Beach friends receive $3G to support concert series

LYNN – The Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach are one of 11 organizations selected by Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and The Boston Foundation to receive funds to support the upcoming beach season.A total of $3,000 was awarded to The Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach, which group president Bob Tucker said would be used to support the summer concert series on Red Rock Beach.”The money is really going to help us and we are extremely pleased to be one of the recipients,” he said. “The total concert series costs a little over $6,000, so we are going to try and raise the remainder.”The late summer concert series takes place in July and August, with the kickoff scheduled for July 3 at 7 p.m., followed by the city’s annual fireworks display.Bruce Berman, communications director for Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, said he hopes the programs can be expanded next year.”The concerts have really created a sense of community and it is among one of the many exciting projects that really seems to stand out,” he said. “The concerts show the public a great time and I’m hoping the other projects can be easily recreated elsewhere.”This year’s grants will support at least one project in every beachfront community in the area, including Nahant, Lynn, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy and Hull.The Revere Beach Partnership was awarded $3,500 to support the first annual Revere Beach Kite Festival.Berman predicted that in a few years, Revere would be host to the world’s largest kite festival.The grants were made possible by a $25,000 grant from The Boston Foundation.Save the Harbor/Save the Bay has already leveraged additional resources to increase activity on public beaches this summer, including more than $25,000 in matching funds from local government, businesses, and beach friends groups, and $3,000 from National Grid.Patricia Foley, president of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay said it’s clear that people in the area love their beaches.”Programs like these are an important step in improving the quality of life in our region for residents and visitors alike,” she said.Richard K. Sullivan, Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) commissioner said DCR has begun to deploy new staff, including beach cluster managers and new equipment, to improve maintenance on the region’s public beaches.In addition, Sullivan also announced more than $15,000 in in-kind support from DCR, which has already begun to work with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and local groups to make this summer a success.The Metropolitan Beaches Commission, led by Sen. Jack Hart of South Boston, Sen. Anthony Petruccelli of East Boston, Sen. Thomas McGee of Lynn, and Rep. Kathi-Anne Reinstein of Revere recommended the initiative.Last year, the commission released a series of recommendations on how to improve the region’s public beaches in a report called “Beaches We Can Be Proud Of.”In July, the legislature appropriated $2 million in additional funds to enable DCR to implement reforms, buy new equipment and hire additional staff for the beaches on the commission’s request.One of the report’s findings was that more free events and programs are needed at the beaches.