|
|
New ferry route readies to launch
By Kevin Mullaney
Banner Correspondent
PROVINCETOWN — Provincetown and Gloucester, Gloucester and Provincetown — the two harbor towns are linked by a shared fishing heritage and will now be linked again, this time more literally, with a ferry service slated to launch between the resort ports.
Boston Harbor Cruises is expected to the begin daily trips to and from MacMillan Pier on July 1 through Labor Day. The company already has service between Long Wharf in Boston and the two harbor towns and will test the waters with the new “travel corridor.” The 40-mile trip over the water will take two and a half hours and cost $70 for a round-trip ticket.
The announcement was made by state Sen. Bruce Barr (R-Gloucester) at the annual meeting of the state’s Seaport Advisory Council, which was held at Cruiseport Gloucester, the local terminal for the new service. The advisory council, which is headed by Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray and includes many mayors, was set up by the Legislature to fund infrastructure projects for transportation and marine uses.
“They pay attention to us,” said Provincetown’s pier manager and harbormaster, Rex McKinsey. The advisory council was the largest contributor to financing the rebuilt MacMillan Pier, he said.
Cruiseport Gloucester is said to be the only privately financed and owned ferrying facility in the country. The $5 million facility opened last May and is the first construction on that waterfront in more than a decade. The idea for a Provincetown run was floated between Frank Elliott, one of Cruiseport’s owners, and Rick Nolan, owner of Boston Harbor Cruises. The last ferry between the two towns was in 1999, utilizing a whale-watch boat.
All ferry service will now dock at the end of MacMillan Pier. Boston Harbor Cruises, which owns half of the building housing the Whydah Museum, will now pay Provincetown $35,000 for docking the Boston boats. Fees to the town for the experiment with Gloucester will be $1 per passenger for this season.
“It’s the best thing,” McKinsey said. “All traffic will now be at the very end of the pier.” Of the new ferry service, McKinsey said he thinks “we should be cautiously optimistic,” calling the deal a chance to show what a prime destination Provincetown is.
“It’s a trial run this year,” said Pier Corp. chair Len Clingham, who added that his board is very excited about anything that brings new summer tourists to town. “There’s an awful lot of tourism up there,” he said, referring to the North Shore area.
In addition to the ferry service, the Seaport Advisory Council announced a grant of $110,000 for the removal of wrecks from New Bedford, Woods Hole and Provincetown Harbors — which in Provincetown means the Chico Jess that sank five months ago. McKinsey said the advisory council bonding will now go to Gov. Deval Patrick for signing.
|
Sexual harassment complaint filed against selectman
No trash left behind
McCowen won’t get new trial
School lunch menus
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 10th, 2008