Dedham Gifted Waterfront Property For Conservation

DEDHAM, MA — Dedham was gifted a waterfront parcel of land and plans to make it a park for conservation purposes.

The 7.7-acre parcel of land was gifted to the town by Paul and Karen DiMaura. The vacant property sits between the Charles River and Providence Highway. It borders the Dedham-Boston line and sits across the highway from Ocean State Job Lot. The land has an assessed value of $337,200.

The DiMauras gifted the land to the town through the conservation commission.

"The preservation of open space is essential for a healthy environment. With the vista of the Charles River and natural wetlands, the future use of this land would be best served under the stewardship of the Town of Dedham for the benefit of all. We are gratified to gift this gateway acreage to the Town at this time," the DiMauras wrote in a prepared statement.

The Conservation Commission accepted the gift at a meeting in November, and the Select Board approved the receipt the next month. Upon approval, the Select Board members voted to name the property DiMaura Park. Under state law, the town will keep the land for conservation and passive recreation use.

"The Conservation Commission is tremendously grateful to the DiMauras for their generous gift to the town," said Conservation Commission Chair Michelle Kayserman. "The property is a mix of upland and wetlands habitat along the Charles River, providing a significant wildlife corridor and much needed additional flood storage capacity."