At long last, Marion’s new Maritime Center is officially opened as of Tuesday, August 26. This momentous feat has been years in the making, and those present at the event signify its importance. The ribbon cutting took place about six months after February’s open house, with the new $3.5 million facility now fully operational.
At the event were Executive Office of Economic Development Interim Secretary Ashley Stolba, State Senator Kelly A. Dooner, State Representative Mark D. Sylvia, Select Board Chair Randy L. Parker, Seaport Economic Council Director Ellen Cebula, Town Administrator Geoffrey Gorman, Police Chief Richard B. Nighelli, Harbormaster Adam Murphy, Marine Resources Commission Chair Vin Malkoski, and many others from the community.
Gorman spoke first and talked about the incredible feats completed in order to get through about five years of planning and roughly 10 months of actual construction. Both state representatives then spoke, followed by Stolba, who said this was her final event as Interim Secretary. She stated she was happy it could be in such a beautiful location. $1.9 million of the final price tag came from a Seaport Economic Council grant through the Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development.
Finally, Select Board Chair Randy Parker spoke, detailing his and the board’s collaboration with everyone present to finish the build. “I’d be two times a day” he said, detailing his walks around the construction site and on-the-fly problem solving as issues arose. Following his speech, he grabbed his big scissors and headed up the stairs with other representatives to officially cut the ribbon.
Ashley Stolba with Kelly Dooner cut the ribbon, thus ending the long project and officially beginning the new site at 1 Island Wharf Road’s projected long history of managing Marion Harbor.
Marion Maritime Center Ribbon Cutting
By Sam Bishop