The City of New Rochelle recently updated its design plans to improve the ecological health of Beechmont Lake. The plans include dredging the lake, introducing native plants at the perimeter, removing dead and diseased trees, and redesigning the northern bay to allow better maintenance. According to the plans, wildlife will be protected throughout the process.
The 6-acre project is scheduled to begin this spring and to be completed by fall 2019. The budget is $1,850,000. Over the summer during dredging and landscaping, planners caution that the lake will look like a construction zone. The lake has not been dredged in about 50 years and has suffered a profound decline in water quality and surrounding habitats.
A recent public survey helped planners to develop new features for the lake including:
• a “flexi-pave” nature trail surrounding the lake to enhance pedestrian access and mobility.
• a small number of educational signs sited around the lake, with information and images related to: flora and fauna, the lake’s history, and the lake’s environmental function in the larger watershed.
• new park benches installed in limited numbers, about four in total.
• a third fountain forming a triangular design with the two already in place.
You can find regular updates about the Beechmont Lake project here. The office of the Commissioner of Public Works can also be reached at 914-654-2129.
