Dredging begins at Crystal Lake

The dredging and restoration of Crystal Lake are underway and city officials set Wednesday afternoon aside to celebrate a project long in the making.

When the dredging is complete, the lake will be roughly 7 to 9 feet deep — a big difference from its current 2 to 4 feet. It will also offer an area for fishing and paddle boating, as well as picnic tables and a gazebo.

As dredging continues through the next few weeks, crews are estimated to remove about 50,000 cubic yards of sediment and other material that was choking the life from the lake and adjacent Elginwood Pond. Work on the new amenities for the lake is then planned to happen over the spring.

The project budget was set at about $3 million. About half the funds come from the state, while another $400,000 came through recent efforts by state Reps. Tom Walsh and Ted Speliotis, and Sen. Joan Lovely. Locally, the city is drawing on $800,000 in community preservation dollars, and it will also draw from $750,000 in excess funds left over from a project to build an upstream retention pond at Scouting Woods, off Summit Street.

The news is collated by Globaldredge.com – Dredging Pipeline Supplier.