Lewes approves first steps for Blockhouse Pond refurbishment

Lewes Mayor and City Council voted unanimously Jan. 12 to give $17,000 to support the first steps toward the restoration of Blockhouse Pond.

The money will allow Burr Monroe, a restoration ecologist, to install a prototype fishing platform and a small section of living shoreline.

“People are passionate about Blockhouse Pond,” said Sally Boswell, who led a working group that considered solutions for the pond’s eroding shoreline. “One person called it our ‘little Walden Pond.’”

Boswell presented her group’s findings to mayor and council before the vote.

She said anglers have left their mark over the decades, with heavy foot traffic eroding soil and exposing tree roots.

The first fishing platform will be placed opposite the playground parking lot. Boswell said said they will consider feedback from the public before moving forward with additional platforms.

“The platforms cover over that exposed root area and offer protection from that scarring from having a lot of people on it. It extends out over the shoreline edge to protect it from further degradation,” Boswell said.

Another early step is to conduct water sampling in conjunction with the University of Delaware. Boswell said that will involve citizen volunteers, and possibly students from the nearby middle and elementary schools.

She said they are working with Beebe Healthcare to find a stormwater mitigation solution.

Boswell said water comes from Savannah Road, through Beebe’s parking lot and into the pond. She said addressing that issue will require a much more engineered plan.

A new entrance into George H.P. Smith Park from the Beebe side is also a possibility as part of the project.

“This is really a wellness area, and I know Dr. [David] Tam is very committed to that preventative healthcare, and that that is part of the vision as well,” said Lewes Mayor Amy Marasco.