WEST YARMOUTH – A Yarmouth mill on the National Register of Historic Places is in need of over $1 million in infrastructure improvements.
Town meeting voters this spring will be asked to authorize Community Preservation Act funds for the repairs to the Baxter Grist Mill between Mill Pond and Route 28 in West Yarmouth.
The Community Preservation Committee unanimously voted last month to place the article on the town meeting warrant.
Funds would be used to make safety improvements to the dam to protect against erosion when water overtops the structure.
Improvements are also needed for the spillway.
“There really shouldn’t be water coming down that spillway during storm events as it does now,” said Jeff Colby, the Department of Public Works director. “It just accelerates the deterioration of the structure with water flowing through there when it’s not necessary.”
Colby said the fish ladder at the mill is also in need of reconstruction.
“Currently it’s very difficult for certain fish species to transit that fish ladder and so we are looking to make some improvements to make that much easier for fish passage,” Colby said.
The proposed work is the first phase of a proposed two-phase restoration project of the structure originally built in the early 1700s.
“We consider that structure to be a gateway structure when you are coming into Yarmouth from the Barnstable end,” Colby said. “That’s certainly one of those town properties that draws your attention.”
By BRIAN MERCHANT, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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