Mayor Will Flanagan announced on March 30, 2011 the kick-off of a public planning process designed to revitalize the Battleship Cove area of Fall River. The process will facilitate he development of a Conceptual plan to guide improvements to the numerous tourist destinations within the zone. The plan will integrate with improvements to the Route 79 infrastructure and the South Coast Rail train station that are currently underway. The project will be funded by a technical assistance grant that will permit the City to engage the Cecil Group as the lead consultant for the project. Public meetings will be held over a three-month period to solicit input from City residents as to their vision for the waterfront area. Click here for the Herald News article about the event.  Click here for photos of a press event announcing a waterfront pier clean-up plan, Click here for photos of the South Coast Rail planning process. For more information, contact the Fall River Office of Economic Development at 508-324-2620. 
 

(Top row) Mayor Flanagan is joined by Fall River Chamber of Commerce president Rob Mellion, Robert Mitchell and City Councilor Eric Poulin at the press event in the Fall River Room of Government Center. (Top row, center) Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner and former Fall River Mayor Ed Lambert praises the Mayor for bringing the various elements together to develop a plan for the Battleship Cove Area. (Top row, right) Robert P. Mitchell, FAICP, Special Assistant for Planning Initiatives for the Massachusetts Permit Regulatory Office in the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (EOHED) talks about Executive Order 525's mandate to ensure that Southcoast plans go forward. (Middle row, left) Greg Guimond, Deputy Director/Comprehensive Program Manager for the Southeast Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) describes his agency's role. (Middle row, right) Steve Cecil of the Cecil Group points out the longstanding efforts to develop the area that his group has been involved in. (Bottom row, left) Fall River Office of Economic Development Executive Vice-President Kenneth Fiola, Jr. talks about the economic benefits of the plan. (Bottom row, center) Bill Oakhem of Fall River joins the audience in applauding the presentation. (Bottom row, right) Battleship Cove Executive Director Brad King talks about plans already underway to improve the offerings at Battleship Cove.