Work is progressing on the Hendricks Head Beach project as the new parking lot is taking shape.

The beach and adjoining land were purchased for $1.25 million in September by the town of Southport from the Ruth Gardner estate. If the property had not been bought by the town, it might have gone to a private buyer.

Ruth Gardner, who owned the largest section of the beach, had allowed the public to use it. A majority of residents wanted to keep it public. Townspeople voted in favor of buying it back in September 2013.

The property includes a large part of Hendricks Head Beach, about 250 feet, Kitten Island, which can be reached on foot at low tide, the house across the road and the approximate 3 1/2 acres surrounding it, Southport Selectman Mary Lou Koskela said.

The house, which was occupied when the land was purchased, belonged to relatives of Ruth Gardner. It is closed now up and will probably be put up for sale, according to Koskela.

The first discussions about how to proceed with the purchase happened at an October 16 Southport selectmen’s meeting, and now the plans are starting to be implemented.

These plans include: a parking lot, a new driveway to the house and a piece of the land that will be put up for sale.

Southport Selectman Gerry Gamage said that the parking lot will not be as big as some people fear. “Traffic has been a big problem in the past,” he said. “Our hope is to relieve that, not just to build a big parking area. People were parking illegally and it got out of control. We're hoping to make some additional parking and put up signage to enforce parking rules.”

Selectmen appointed five Southport residents to a beach committee to discuss some of the changes. Matt Cole, Jean Hawley, Nancy Prisk, Clayton Pottle and Cooke Eames meet to brainstorm and get feedback from other people in the community, which is in turn relayed to the selectmen. 

Cole said that the new parking lot will probably accommodate 24 cars, compared to the existing one that held around 16.

Gamage said a bigger parking lot would encourage more people to come to the beach, and that's not the idea. “The beach is only so big,” he said. There will also be landscaping done at the edge of the parking lot to make it pleasing to the eye.

According to Koskela, the existing driveway to the house will be replaced. “A new driveway is being cut through the woods, from the Salt Pond Road to the back of the house, to make for a private entrance,” she said.

The final phase of the project will be dividing up the land to sell, and deciding whether to put the house up for sale, according to Gamage and Koskela. “We'll retain maybe 3/4 acre. That'll leave enough so there will be suitable acreage for a buyer to divide into two properties.”