What does the future hold for MacMillan Pier? The public, tenants can help decide

Provincetown's MacMillan Pier is an economic engine for the town's tourist and fishing industries, but the corporation created by the Legislature in 2000 to manage and operate the pier has struggled to become financially self-sustaining as was intended.

The MacMillan Pier Corporation has relied on the town of Provincetown to help subsidize capital improvements and maintenance, Provincetown Select Board member Leslie Sandberg said. The pier sits in saltwater and thus maintenance is a constant.

One answer to the problem is to seek long-available grant money from the state and other entities to help with maintenance and upgrades in coming years, Jamie Staniscia, chairman of the MacMillan Pier Corporation, said.

He and Sandberg traveled to Plymouth Town Hall earlier this month to receive what they hope is the first of many grants from the Seaport Economic Council. The $120,000 award will pay for a feasibility study to map the future of the pier, including improvements for current tenants and enhancements for tourists and others who use the pier.

Just what those improvements and enhancements will look like will be the subject of a string of public meetings starting in the spring. Everyone is invited to attend the meetings — including residents, business owners, fishing industry representatives, people associated with excursion/recreational businesses, artists, ferry boat representatives, town officials and members of town boards — to share their comments, Staniscia said.

MacMillian Pier Corporation to seek more grant money

The Provincetown grant was one of 24 awarded by the Seaport Economic Council for "20 coastal communities to advance projects that benefit commercial maritime industries, improve resident and visitor access to waterfront assets, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and advance future dredging," according to a statement from Provincetown Assistant Town Manager Dan Riviello.

Seven other Cape and Islands communities and entities received council grants, including Barnstable, Nantucket and Massachusetts Maritime Academy, which each received $1 million for maritime projects.

All the communities, except Provincetown, had received council grants in the past, said Staniscia, who oversaw the corporation's grant application. During the meeting when the awards were announced, he and Sandberg received a warm welcome.

From last week:Fierce storm on Cape Cod brings wind, rain, flooding. Here's the latest

"Lt. Gov. Karen Polito said, 'We're so glad you've come,'" Sandberg said, adding that the fishing industry representative on the council said, "We've been waiting for you."

"I replied,' We heard you,'" she said.

After the visioning sessions with the public, Staniscia plans to apply for further grants of up to $1 million to pay for the improvements in the coming years, he said. He hopes to submit grant proposals in June and again in the fall.

Ideas for improving MacMillan Pier

The pier is home to a 57-boat fishing fleet, excursion boats — charter fishing, whale watching, site-seeing tours — a ferry boat landing and retail establishments such as artist trap sheds and educational museums.

Two fast ferries and a traditional ferry serve Provincetown from about May through October — depending on weather conditions — and bring more than 100,000 people to the pier each year, Doug Boulanger, manager of MacMillan Pier, said. Excursion boats, such as whale-watch businesses, add to the number of tourists who visit the town each year and spend money at restaurants and other businesses in town.

Some of the ideas for improving the pier include better serving the fishing fleet, which has changed over the years from groundfish-based to shellfish, Staniscia said, and perhaps a fish market or direct sales for fishermen.

"We want to stay focused on fishing and other commercial tenants currently at the pier," Staniscia said.

Improvements for ferry passengers may include an enclosed waiting area that has activity and/or food vendors. There could be enhancements for the artist trap sheds and the recreational and excursion boat businesses, he said.

"All this is dependent on what the public has to say, " he said, regarding the upcoming community meetings.

Cape and Island towns that received Seaport Economic Council grants

Other Cape towns that received awards this month are: Barnstable ($1 million to replace the bulkhead at the Bismore Park Marina), Chatham ($235,000 to support the renewal of the town's 10-year Comprehensive Town-wide Dredging and Disposal permit), Edgartown ($292,000 for engineering and permitting services required for its 10-year Comprehensive Permits for interchangeable dredging and beach nourishment), Falmouth ($30,000 for engineering and permitting for repair and improvements to the commercial fishing pier in Great Harbor Woods Hole), Gosnold ($967,720 to replace the bathroom facility at the marina located on Cuttyhunk Island and to complete a fuel farm facility so fuel no longer needs to be transported to the island from other communities), Nantucket ($1 million to replace the existing public dock system with new concrete floats, including power pedestals and water service, and upgrade existing utilities at the Town Pier) and Massachusetts Maritime Academy ($1 million for a dredging improvement project to create safe berths for the 550-foot National Security Multi-Mission Vessel, the training ship Patriot State, the 120-foot tall ship Ernestina-Morrissey, and numerous support vessels.)

Contact Anne Brennan at abrennan@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Anne BrennanCCT.

Stay connected with Cape Cod news, sports, restaurants and breaking news.  Download our free app.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Provincetown: Ideas wanted for MacMillan Pier future; grant will help