[mcdude]

From the Citizen

Weirs boardwalk rededicated
Laconia:

Friday, May 28, 2010


Nearly two years after floodwaters washed the local landmark into Lake Winnipesaukee — and just in time for Memorial Day weekend — the boardwalk at Weirs Beach has been reopened officially for the summer season and years to come.

The city held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday evening with state and municipal officials and other community members on the boardwalk.

The $1.6 million reconstruction project started in December 2009 and was completed earlier this month.

On Aug. 7, 2008, the boardwalk was forever changed when water coming off the northern slope of Route 3 rushed its way down to the water's edge. The force of the water caused the ground under the railroad tracks and a 100-foot-long section of the boardwalk to be blown into the lake, leaving the area in ruins.

As a result of the flood, the city had to shut down a portion of the boardwalk and the staircase connecting it to the public docks below. For the rest of the 2008 season and all of last year, a section of the boardwalk remained closed and the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad was unable to run between Meredith and Lakeport in a straight shot.


Over the past few months, with engineering by Dubois & King, Inc., and work by Busby Construction Co., the replacement of the blown-out section was completed so the boardwalk would be ready for the 2010 summer season.

The renovations began last fall and entailed removing the existing train tracks, installing the pilings, replacing the tracks and stabilizing the embankment on which both the tracks and boardwalk rest. New lighting has been installed along the full length of the boardwalk, a feature it did not have before.

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Director of Public Works Paul Moynihan highlighted several special features of the new boardwalk: additions that will make the boardwalk safer and more structurally sound for generations to come.

"Sheet piling is probably the most significant thing that was put in here as far as strength and cost," said Moynihan. "This entire rail bed now has a drainage system in it which it didn't have before, so if we have another event, that is a safeguard."

Moynihan said a new "intermediate" boardwalk was constructed between the boardwalk and the public docks because the staircase needed to be relocated. That smaller section provides a landing area for pedestrians who are accessing the city docks and gives them direct access to the boardwalk.


"The decking of the boardwalk is made from TREX, a composite wood and plastic product that is very durable and is low-maintenance," he said. "We also put in new balusters, the vertical pieces that weren't there before on the railing, which is required by current-day code."

Several guests were welcomed, with some having comments to share about the boardwalk. City Councilor Greg Knytych said he remembered getting a call from the city manager the night when the boardwalk got washed away. He said what he saw the next day will always be a memory in his mind.

"This really is a big event for the Weirs," said Knytych. "To actually have the boardwalk done, much stronger and a better safeguard, is really a wonderful thing."

Tom Pucci, president of the Weirs Action Committee, said he was very proud to be part of the ribbon-cutting and he thanked several people involved in the project, from the engineering firm that designed the project to the construction workers hammering in the nails.

"[The boardwalk is a] very important part of the tourism industry that is near and dear to the city of Laconia and all of us," said Pucci. "The project was no small task. A lot of heart and soul, hard-work, engineering and skill has gone into this rebuild of the boardwalk."

Pucci said he is always reminded of the movie "Field of Dreams" with the belief that, "If you build it, they will come," something which occurred during the past few months.

"I now welcome everyone to Laconia's own field of dreams," he said.

Executive Councilor Ray Burton said the boardwalk is a thing of beauty and something that has been part of the local history for decades past, being looked on by those in the veteran homes along Lakeside Avenue and walked on by thousands of people visiting the area each year.

"Through the efforts of the city of Laconia, Paul [Moynihan] and all involved, you combined the old with the new and made it happen in a modern, safe and an environmentally acceptable way," said Burton. "The outdoor industry is thriving because of this project."

Burton thanked everyone involved on behalf of Governor John Lynch.

Mayor Michael Seymour said he was impressed by the work done on the boardwalk, from the aesthetics of the finished project to the preventive measures implemented into the engineering.

"The boardwalk is such a critical part of tourism and quality of life, not just within Laconia, but within Central New Hampshire," said Seymour. "This project really benefits a large number of people, it's not just the city of Laconia."

He said the project was one demonstration of how the local, state and federal government help each other to make such a project come to fruition.

"This means so much for the community; it's been a central focal point here for over 100 years and now it's back open," Seymour said.