In March of 2018, WLCT took the first steps towards removing the antiquated infrastructure at the former St. Vincent de Paul property. During the mid twentieth century the campus teemed with activity and served to connect young men and women of the Catholic faith through fraternity, recreation and exploration of the natural world.
Shuttered in 2005, the campus sat vacant for over a decade and the once bustling property looked destined for commercial or residential development. In 2017, working in partnership with the Town of Westport and Catholic Diocese of Fall River, we championed a grassroots fundraising campaign to not only save the property but to transform the landscape into a community park with over two miles of trails.
This transformation so far has included:
- The removal of eleven buildings, a collegiate size swimming pool, seven above surface oil tanks, and roughly 75% of the impermeable asphalt and concrete
- Over 500 service hours from our volunteer Tuesday Trail Team towards clearing trails and improving wildlife habitat
- The professional removal of 12 state-listed invasive Norway maples trees to suppress the spread of seed onto the open space
- The planting of more than 25 new trees of different variety, including liberty apple, black gum, sugar maple and juniper
Before
After
