Nahant unveils new bath house

NAHANT – A host of state and local officials were on hand for the opening of the Ward Bath House Monday afternoon and to mark the start of the Nahant Causeway rehabilitation project.The Ward Bath House near the Nahant Rotary serves beach goers from Long Beach and Kings Beach. The $628,000 project included asbestos and lead abatement, a new roof, new doors, plumbing and electrical upgrades and improvements to the patio area.Gov. Deval Patrick, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles, Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Rick Sullivan, Rep. Lori Ehrlich (D-Marblehead), Sen. Thomas McGee (D-Lynn), Rep. Steven Walsh (D-Lynn) and several other members of the North Shore delegation were in attendance.Sullivan said the completion of the bathhouse and the beginning of the Causeway project is a testament to the commitment of elected officials and area residents.”The level of involvement by citizens may be unparalleled,” he said. “Congratulations to everyone from Lynn and Nahant.”McGee, who has been advocating for the Causeway and Nahant Beach Reservation since 1999, said he is pleased to see the bathhouse renovation project completed and work getting underway on the Causeway.”This really is a great day for Nahant,” McGee said. “This bath house is just the beginning.”Ehrlich added the beach is an important part of the North Shore community and an invaluable resource for its residents.”The shoreline is a place for the community to gather,” she said. “I congratulate all of you. Your voices have been heard.”Patrick applauded the state delegation for their tenacity in advocating for their constituents in Nahant and Lynn.”As they say in my neighborhood, they are always up in your grill,” he said, using a slang phrase for persistence. “By that I mean they are always up in my grill.”The $20 million Causeway rehabilitation project is slated to begin June 10. The three-year project encompasses refurbishing the roadway, upgrading the drainage systems along the Causeway and repairing the decaying seawall.Patrick said he is confident the Causeway project would be completed in a timely manner because he has confidence in the team overseeing the project.Patrick went on to say he loves the collaboration between the community, state agencies and elected officials that went into the process.When the project is complete, travel lanes on the causeway would be widened from 101/2 feet wide to 11 feet, 57 historic light posts would be installed in the median and a four-foot shoulder added, which would allow bicyclists to take advantage of the roadway.Other goals of the extensive seven-phase project are to make the Nahant Beach Reservation more identifiable and implement environmentally friendly storm water management practices.