For Immediate Release: March 30, 2023
Contact: Ligia Madeira, 508-821-1000
O’CONNELL ANNOUNCES EXCITING CHANGES COMING TO WEIR VILLAGE
Taunton, MA…Today Mayor Shaunna O’Connell announced new upgrades being constructed this spring in the Weir Village neighborhood.
“My Administration is committed to making improvements throughout our City. We are strategically targeting a number of neighborhoods that are overdue for upgrades and renovations. We are excited to move forward with Weir Village upgrades this spring. These changes will make the Weir more attractive and accessible to our City residents,” said O’Connell.
Walker Park and the Weir Municipal Parking Lot will both undergo renovations to make them more modern and responsive to the needs of users and residents. This multi-faceted project has been a collaboration of the Mayor’s Office, the Office of Economic and Community Development (OECD), Parks, Cemeteries, and Public Grounds Department, and the Taunton Parking Commission.
Walker Park, a park located along the Taunton River from the Weir Bridge to the Riverhouse restaurant, was named for William Ellery Walker, a nineteenth century Taunton industrialist. The brick stage, which is currently deemed unsafe for use, will be demolished and replaced by a new and ADA-accessible gazebo. A new walking path will be built through the park and an irrigation system will be installed to keep the grass hydrated and healthy.
Across the street, the Weir Municipal Parking Lot is a City-owned parking lot situated between New Weir Pizza and Pistol Pete’s Barber Shop. The City of Taunton received a $47,000 grant from MassDEP to purchase and install an Electric Vehicle Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) station in this parking lot. This will be the first DCFC station in the City and will have the capability of fully charging an electric vehicle in 1-2 hours, as opposed to level 2 stations which can take up to 8 hours for a full charge. The parking lot will be regraded, paved, and striped as part of the project.
Renovations are slated to begin this spring. ###
