Dams in the News: A Sutton Dam No One Wants!

No, it is not Manchaug Pond's dam, not Steven's, not Tucker's, not Singletary's, not Ramshorn's.... Can you name it, do you know where it is?

Does it look familiar at all?


How about from this angle?


How about the flow from the other side of the road?


Give up!?!

It's called SINGING DAM, and it is located on the Blackstone River in the Wilkinsonville section of Sutton and is the future site of the Sutton 300's Tricentennial Park.

The park design has been long completed and is posted on the site and in Manchaug center.

Construction of the 5 acre park is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2005.

What? 2005? It's 2006 now, going on 2007! What's the hold up?

Well, Sutton Selectman report that the $$ is all there for the Park: $$ from the Blackstone River Valley Corridor Commission Heritage Partnership Program has been long spent on the design. $$ has been secured to fund construction through the Mass Highway Dept. Transportation Enhancement Program. Further, DEP reports Blackstone National Golf Course is providing $26,250 in funds directly to the Town of Sutton for use in the design and construction of the proposed Tricentennial Park (as part of a DEP penalty to golf course for taking too much water out of the course's 5 wells to irrigate the course without telling DEP.) The park is reported to "include picnic tables, historic markers, interpretive signs, a trail, canoe portage, public art, and a reflective area".

Sounds nice and the project is well funded!

So what's the hold-up?

Well, the dam. The company across the street owns it and doesn't want the liability. A Sutton Selectman tells the MPA that the town doesn't want ownership either, so the Town of Sutton has asked State Rep. Jennifer Callahan to press the state to take over ownership. We'll see how long this goes on....