Upper pond at Melville Park is now ‘Thurston Gray Pond’

Mr. Gray was a great advocate for not only Melville Pond but all things outdoors.”

Town Council President Keith Hamilton

PORTSMOUTH — Thurston Gray, who passed away last month at the age of 80, loved and cared for the upper pond at Melville Park for more than 15 years.

So it was only fitting, say those who knew him well, that the pond bear his name going forward.

At its March 1 meeting, the Melville Park Committee, of which Mr. Thurston was a member since its re-initiation in 2002, voted to re-name the small body of water “The Thurston Gray Pond.”

On Monday night, the committee received permission from the Town Council to change the designation on its park maps and to design the appropriate signage to reflect the name change. 

Edward F. Rizy, chairman of the committee, said Mr. Thurston monitored “Pond 1,” the upper pond in the park behind Melville School, for more than 15 years.

“As part of the University of Rhode Island’s Watershed Watch program … his duties involved taking water measurements weekly and frequent samples, analyzed later at URI,” Mr. Rizy stated in a March 4 letter to Council President Keith Hamilton. 

Mr. Gray also helped extend the orange trail at Melville Park and located the site of the original farmhouse on the property, Mr. Rizy said.

In addition, Mr. Gray was involved in the restoration of Town Pond, Mr. Rizy said, and he volunteered for Save The Bay’s eelgrass planting effort.

“Mr. Gray was a great advocate for not only Melville Pond but all things outdoors,” said Council President Keith Hamilton.

Mr. Rizy said the committee will schedule an official dedication day for “The Thurston Gray Pond” in the near future.