Currently, the walkway and deck are closed because their deterioration presents safety risks. Rotting wood has caused supports and beams to fail and breaks in fencing have allowed visitors to trample sensitive coastal marsh grasses.The grant funding will allow Everett to remove the existing deck and walkway, grade the area to a stable, level surface and construct a walkway and deck from new, recycled TREX decking. Everett has launched an Adopt-A-Board program, allowing residents to honor veterans like Joseph A. Merrill, who lost his life in Vietnam and for whom the park was named.“I am working with Dennis VFW Post 10274 and Cape Cod Veterans Inc. to spread the word,” Everett said. “This 25th anniversary revitalization project is the perfect opportunity to honor a veteran with a personalized, engraved plank.”The planks, at $80 each, are roughly 36 inches long and can be engraved with the honored veterans’ names, up to 22 characters. Proceeds will be deposited into the Merrill Memorial Park fund for the park’s continued maintenance.For information on purchasing a plank, visit the Department of Natural Resources page at town.dennis.ma.us.

http://dennis.wickedlocal.com/article/20140528/NEWS/140526438