Esplanade Boat Docks

DCR restored four docks over a four-year period starting in 2007 with private support. The largest of the docks, used by Community Boating (CBI), was completely rebuilt and expanded in 2010 to serve CBI’s growing public sailing program.

Background: These historic docks with their associated granite landings are an integral part of the original Shurtleff park design. They provide access to the shore for visiting boaters and are very popular places for people to sunbathe and relax. In 2005, the docks along the Esplanade were dilapidated and increasingly dangerous. When an elderly man stepped through the decking one summer day, engineers were called in to inspect and promptly closed the Union Boat House dock. A design process initiated by the Solomon Foundation brought together key stakeholders and Bourne engineering to assess and redesign the docks. The use of quality materials, including green heart pilings, ensures that the docks will last for much of this century.

The restoration of the crumbling granite landings that link three of the docks to shore remains to be done.