MBC To Hold Public Hearing In Winthrop On May 14

The Metropolitan Beaches Commission (MBC) will hold the final community hearing, the seventh of nine public hearings in the winter and spring of 2019, for waterfront communities from Nahant to Nantasket to receive public input about the state of the beaches. The hearing for Winthrop will be held on Tuesday, May 14th from 6-8pm at the Arthur T. Cummings School.

“The region’s public beaches are important recreational, economic, and educational assets,” said State Senator Brendan Crighton, Senate Co-Chair of the MBC. “Working together we have made our beaches cleaner, safer and more accessible, and I am looking forward to continuing our work together this year.”

“Winthrop Beach is one of Winthrop’s most valuable assets,” said Senator Joseph Boncore, who serves on the Metropolitan Beaches Commission. “The MBC works tirelessly to protect our natural resources to ensure they are accessible for generations to come.”

The Metropolitan Beaches Commission was created in 2006 by the Massachusetts Legislature to make findings and recommendations on ways to strengthen the Boston metropolitan region's 15 public beaches in Nahant, Lynn, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy, and Hull which are managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). The Commission is comprised of elected officials and community, civic, nonprofit, and business leaders from Boston and the metropolitan region's waterfront neighborhoods and beachfront communities.

In 2013, the Commission reconvened to examine the impacts of the reforms and recommendations made in its first report and issue additional findings and recommendations to better leverage these resources for residents in the future. The MBC was made permanent in 2015. Each year the Commission holds public hearings at the State House and in waterfront neighborhoods and beachfront communities from Nahant to Nantasket, and issues an annual report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature and to DCR.

“As the Commissioner from Revere Beach, the nation’s first public beach, I know how important these resources are,” said State Representative RoseLee Vincent, House Co-Chair of the MBC. “Beaches like Revere Beach are premier destinations for millions of visitors from across the Commonwealth and the country, and enhance the lives of the community members who live along their shores.”

The Commission will release its third report on the state of the metropolitan beaches in late spring after the hearings are completed. During the last round of hearings more than a thousand people participated, helping the Commission understand what’s working and what could use improvement.

“One of the most important lessons we have learned is that the region’s residents really love their beaches, and have great ideas about how to make them better,” said Bruce Berman, Director of Strategy and Communications at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, which has helped to lead and manage the Commission since its inception. “We look forward to hearing from the residents of Winthrop and all who love Winthrop Beach.”

Each hearing will give community members and beach goers the chance to share their thoughts on the state of their beach, and share their ideas and recommendations to make them even better. The Commission will hold a hearing in late May to review its draft findings with the public before releasing their final report in June. The Commission has held hearings in Nahant, Lynn, Revere, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Hull, and finally Winthrop between February and May 2019. The MBC held a hearing in Quincy in August of 2018, and the feedback received will also be included in the Commission’s report.

If you love your beach, but can't attend the MBC Hearing, you can share your thoughts by taking part in the MBC online survey at https://tinyurl.com/BeachesSurvey.