The turf war between the state Department of Environmental Management and the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation over control of Galilee is ostensibly over. After months of often-contentious discussions last year, the debate surrounding the issue petered out. Proposed legislation to transfer oversight of the historic village to the EDC never made it out of a General Assembly committee during the 1999 legislative session.
In the end, what the fishing community in Narragansett and the bulk of town officials wanted most – for DEM to maintain control of the port – is what they got.
Seifert Systems Invests in Energy Efficiency to Strengthen Operations
For manufacturers, energy is more than just another operating expense. It plays a critical role…
Learn More
Narragansett Town Manager Maurice Loontjens, Jr. said the town’s relationship with DEM is a good one. He is pleased that it has remained intact. He is also pleased at the progress that has been made at Galilee in recent years, thanks in part to the state’s commitment to spend $18 million there over a ten-year period.
“They’ve spent a lot of money down there in the past two years,” said Loontjens. “It is much safer than it has been. There are new pilings at the docks. It’s really working out well.”
The state’s 10-year master plan for Galilee calls for major infrastructure investment and development, new and expanded attractions for tourists, and revised parking facilities. Under the plan, the state would spend $18.3 million for long-sought improvements such as harbor dredging, bulkhead and pier repair, and electrical and water service. The relocation of 1,200 parking spaces near the Block Island ferry landing to open about 10 acres of space for development is also planned.
There are also plans for bringing another hotel – the Dutch Inn has been renovated and is now under new ownership as the Lighthouse Inn – to Galilee.
The state has hired a consultant to put together a Master Plan for the port, Cecil & Rizvi, Inc., of Boston.
ON THE DOCK workers examine the day’s catch.
The consultants submitted a summary of the Master Plan last year which addressed many of the concerns of the fishing industry. It stressed that “the Port of Galilee should be preserved and enhanced as a fundamental and irreplaceable asset that serves the fishing industry of Rhode Island. This future is compatible with a vision of new economic development that could be a destination in its own right, a unique place that builds on the real assets and distinctive character of this fishing port. There is no need to create an artificial character or import a new identity”
When talk surfaced nearly two years ago that the EDC might be taking over control of the fishing village, the fishing community expressed serious concerns. Many envisioned a highly commercial development – more like Fishermen’s Wharf in San Francisco, than a legitimate operating fishing village.
The locals argued that it is the fishing industry that produces the big money in Galilee, and found their claims backed by the Rhode Island Seafood Council/American Seafood Institute in Wakefield.
The institute estimates that the fishing industry generates $800 million to $900 million of “economic activity” each year in Rhode Island. Between $400 and $500 million, comes from the sale of seafood caught in Rhode Island. The other $400 million to $500 million comes from the sale of seafood not caught in Rhode Island, but sold by Rhode Islanders.
It now appears that any significant changes at Galilee will take place over time – that it will remain what it has always been, a fishing village. To date, the changes have been subtle.
Sign of the times
There’s an impressive sign at the end of the Galilee Escape Road, welcoming visitors to Rhode Island’s historic fishing village. New sidewalks have been installed. Lanterns have been installed along them. Parking has indeed been expanded.
But with those exceptions, Galilee remains largely unchanged. It’s still the place to get the Block Island ferry, to grab some clam cakes and chowder, to sit on the rocks and watch the fishing boats pass by. Lots of them, accompanied by lots of seagulls. And there are lots of cars. Too many cars for some.
Asked last week if Galilee had changed much in recent years, one merchant said “you take your life in your hands, from this point onthe sidewalks are nice, but people drove slower when it was dirt.” The docks may in fact be safer, but the roads are apparently another question.
On a Sunday afternoon in mid-May, Galilee is indeed bustling. They are lining up at the Port Side Restaurant, where you can get a dozen clam cakes for $4.50. And down the road at the base of the state beach, the takeout window at George’s of Galilee is running four-deep. George’s clam cakes run $4.55 a dozen.
There is a wait at Champlin’s Seafood Restaurant, which overlooks the harbor. More restaurants have sprung up in recent years. There is a Sunflower Restaurant at one end of Galilee and Jennifer’s Landing at the other. At Narragansett Bay Lobsters, for example, fresh lobsters are plentiful – averaging about $5.25 per pound.
What has changed about Galilee – at least in degree – is the enormous impact of Block Island. Hundreds of thousands of tourists are visiting the island during the summer, and many of them are getting there via Galilee. Galilee’s parking lots are filled with cars early each morning, as tourists race for the 8 a.m. ferry. The ferry runs to and from the island several times each day. An adult can get there and back the same day for $19. A child costs $11 for the same two-way trip, while a senior citizen pays $17.
Alan Robertson, has owned and operated Galilee Grocery for 36 years. Like Loontjens, he is pleased that DEM has retained control of the village. Robertson is moving his store up the road a bit, away from the activity surrounding the ferry dock.
“It’s getting too congested here now in the summer,” he said. “It’s good, but I need some breathing room.”
Robertson said DEM has been extremely helpful throughout the process. “They’re good to do business with,” he said.
And it appears that DEM will be doing business with Galilee for years to come.
