11.14.2025 Manuel Raposa Jr Memorial Boat Ramp Dedication Ceremony

Good morning everyone. Can you hear me?

Okay.

Thank you all for being here. You're all bundled up. It's so great as we uh as we kick off this um opportunity as we formally dedicate uh this boat ramp to a great human being. Someone who really was a mentor of mine back in my uh younger days. Someone who I would like to emulate. Someone who was just an amazing state representative uh for this region uh for this area uh for the city

of Fall River. um in Manny Raposa. So, we uh we're going to keep it quick, short, and sweet because we know everyone's cold. But thank you all for being here on this occasion. And I'd like to turn it over now to uh Representative Fiola, my partner and co-sponsor of the legislation.

Thank you, Senator. Thank you very much.

Um I have some prepared remarks because it's only fitting for Robbie um and his family and of course for Manny. So, I'm gonna take my glasses off because I'm showing my age. Uh, and uh, first of all, let me come right over here. So, thank you for being here, Senator. This would not be possible if you did not join me in co-sponsoring this legislation. Uh, thank you to the Department of Fish and Game and the

staff that are here today. Uh, and and especially uh, Sergeant Commissioner Thomas O'Shea for being here today.

Thank you. uh and your team. Uh the mayor who is on his way right now.

Timing is everything. So perfect.

Walking in.

Welcome mayor. Good morning. I know it's been a very busy morning already and it will be a busy day. Um and to the DPW for your work in making today possible.

Uh we're here today because last year Rabbi approached me about dedicating a memorial in his father's memory.

What I did not know was that Ron had been working to make this dedication possible for many, many years.

And the boat ramp was picked as a fitting location that would honor the work of State Representative Raposa. His passion for fishing led him to promise his friends and constituents that he would get the state to replace and take care of a new boat ramp. when the original ramp just further north was replaced and taken out for Route 79.

And I don't mean this Route 79 project, I mean the original Route 79 project.

Um, sadly, not long after his elected public service ended, Manny died at the age of 62.

As we all know sitting here today, that is far, far too young. He never got to see the construction of this boat ramp.

But the work that he set as a foundation resulted in this boat ramp that we are here today to dedicate in his honor.

That will bring such joy to all the fishermen and the families that use it.

And those of us who see this on a regular basis see how active it is down here. He served as state representative for 14 years from 1965 to 1978.

I never met him. I was graduating from high school in 1978 and had no idea uh that I would then serve and follow in his footsteps.

He worked on many important pieces of legislation as a state representative.

establishment of the Massachusetts Naval Museum Development Authority, whose members served as directors for the USS Massachusetts Memorial Committee and worked towards preserving and promoting Battleship Cove to what it is today. He was also instrumental in the official recognition of the colonial navy which was officially recognized in 1967 by the state legislature to honor the original

1775 militia of course which we are going to be especially recognizing next year in the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.

I'm a little chilly here. But more than that, he was a World War II veteran and an engaged member of our community. In addition to serving in World War II, he was a member of the Knights of Columbus, Amvets, Portuguese American War Veterans, Portuguese American Civic League, the Elks, the American Legion, the Aphanso Costa Club, World War II club, and the Border City Club. The relationships he

built made him a better advocate and voice for the district and is why we are here honoring his legacy today.

As a state representative and my colleagues here, State Representative Schmid, I mean, uh, Schmid, uh, Wulette, Sylvia, and of course, Senator Rodri, and the mayor. We know the importance and responsibility along with uh city council vice president uh Pereira here today I see and former mayor um and our friend Carlton Ves. We understand the importance and responsibility that comes

with serving a constituency. You have to be there to advocate for projects and funding. You have to be a branch between constituents and state services. And you have to be involved to know how to best serve the community. Mr. Raposa did just that and made the community stronger. He leaves behind a legacy that we are recognizing in w would have been his 110th year of life this year.

Wow.

Thank you again to Ron, to your daughter, to your family for leading the charge to recognize your father, myself, representative um representatives here today, and of course Senator Rodri and I are honored to be a part of this dedication. Thank you.

And I now think I don't see the agenda, but I think I'm introducing Mayor Coogan.

Come on up. Timing is everything.

Hey, honey. Um, obviously we're all very, very proud of this boat ramp and to name it in uh honor of uh State Representative Reposa is very special. You come down here in the summer, it's always busy. We have kids working here, taking stuff off the boats, tying boats up, people going back and forth. It's a great keynote spot in the north end, which was his district. I don't know if you would have recognized

the way it is today because where where we are now was Jimmy's Tires right up the street and uh it was a little bit more rock and roll back then. Um the mill was over there in uh in the uh Commonwealth thing. But it all changed and now it's different and it's much better for our community. It's much better for recreation and I applaud the efforts of everybody to make this day

possible. So, thank you all very much.

And to keep things moving, I'd like to invite Representative Source to come forward. Commissioner, come on forward.

Thank you.

Thank you, Representative. And thank you all uh today for being here. For me, it's a real honor. And uh I have to say that I was just recently out fishing two weeks ago with my son out of came to bait and he caught his first fall to Elore. I don't know if you've ever seen those fishing like little tunas, but the whole point of it is is that without these kinds of boat ramps that

you see here, how else do we get out on the water? It's not easy. And uh I think it's a real honor for us to uh celebrate the life and legacy of State Representative Emanuel Reposa because he was an advocate for these types of outdoor recreational sites, getting people down to the water. Um, so I just want to thank Senator Rogers, Representative Fiola, um, Representative um, Sylvia, and and the family um, of

um, Representative Reposa. Thank you.

Um, and I also want to just let you know that our Department of Fish and Game Office of Fishing and Boating Access staff are here. Um, and Terry Smith, the uh, acting director, and George Smelankis, and and others. And uh just want you to know that from what I understand from um Ron Raposa is that he wanted to make sure that Representative Reposa wanted to make sure that Department of Fish and Game managed

these sites and we take that role in honor um seriously. We have 300 fishing peers, boat ramps and shore locations across the state and uh and it's really really u a big big job but it's one we take seriously and care about. I also want to thank the uh Healey Driscoll administration because in the partnership of the legislature because they're actually through the Mass Ready Act proposing $10 million investment in

these types of public access sites um across the state for fishing and boating. Um and I just want to let you know over the next um couple years uh we will be making improvements to this facility uh with the city. Uh we're going to be upgrading the the floats out there, the boarding floats so that the ramp will be more accessible. And that's because we believe everybody should have

a chance to connect with the water right in their neighborhood. And it's especially important, I will say, in our cities, in our coast, because it's really hard to find these types of access sites. So, this this is why this ramp is so special. Um, you can just, you know, head in here off of work, head over to the ramp, get out into the harbor, uh, and up the Taton River, and,

um, you know, it's just, and then get out to some saltwater fishing, like I said, out there in, um, Mount Hope Bay and Naragansit Bay. So, with the city's investments in waterfront access, this connection of the Fall River community to the waterways is just strengthening.

And uh I just want to say projects like this, they don't happen overnight. They just take a lot of partnership and dedication. Really takes a whole village. And I think we know that. And uh and that's why today we're here to celebrate um and dedicate this site to uh state former state representative Emanuel Reposa Jr. And it's so fitting.

I just want to say a few more things and you know um I used to be the the southeast district manager down here in the southeast and I one thing I always remember about working down in this part of the state is just the communities and the really strong relationships people have with their community. Um I I remembered coming down here and uh I I didn't know Representative Raposa, but

he was a veteran, World War II vet, coalition builder. Uh he was leader in the Portuguese American community. um he had a talent for building relationships, bringing people together and because of his leadership uh with both current and future generations and his connection to our maritime heritage and history and making lifelong memories out on the water. So, it's it's our pleasure really

to dedicate this boat ramp to Representative Reposa Jr. to honor his legacy and which should which really should serve to inspire us all. And by the way, this is a beautiful area. I I just want to say uh it's really great.

You should all be proud of it. So, I want to thank you and not sure who's next on the agenda, but maybe you could do the honors of introducing his granddaughter.

All right.

The granddaughter and your name is Roelle Allen.

Rochelle Allen.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Try to make this quick so we don't freeze down here. Um, thank you for being here today uh on this special dedication honoring um my grandfather.

Um, he loved this area so much. um for 14 years he served as state rep here as you know and um he wasn't someone who worked to gain recognition. He worked uh for results, for service, for the simple belief of community and um he believed that everyone deserved the opportunities to grow, enjoy and take pride in this river. He loved this river. He lived on this river. Um, and uh, it's a project that

was very close to his heart, creating better access to the waterfront. He believed families should be able to enjoy the water like he did, whether it was out fishing for the day, spending quiet moments by the river. Um, it has certainly changed a lot since he serviced this area. Um, but again, uh, he loved to fish. My grandmother would get up in the morning and cook, you know, Portuguese pork sandwiches on on,

you know, a pop roll and he would go out with his friends fishing for the day.

Um, he we have some a great picture of him. Might even be Is it there?

Oh. Oh. Um, we have a great picture of him with his prized tuna fish that uh he caught uh uh he loved it out here.

Ultimately, he made this ramp possible long before it became reality.

Unfortunately, he wasn't here to see it through to today, but I'm really grateful to be here. So, today, seeing the ramp officially named his honor is more meaningful than I can put into words to my family. It represents not only the dedication to public service, but his love for fishing, the outdoors, and this incredible city. On behalf of my family, I want to thank you. A special thank you to um State

Representative Carol Fiola who is like like she said is now in his role many years later. Uh Senator Mike Rodri um who put this all together um as well as you know uh fisheries and game gaming.

Um it's a reminder of his legacy, a legacy of service, heart, and a deep connection to the river. We hope that everyone who enjoys this boat ramp here remembers that it was built on the love of this great city. Um, and I know my grandfather would have been incredibly proud today. Thank you.

I'd like to introduce my father.

Everybody knows him.

I don't have a speech. I don't have paper to read. I don't have any of that.

But I do know that it means a lot.

Carol kept calling me Rabby.

There's people here that if you say you know Ron Raposa, they'll say, "Who's that?" And then some say Rabby. Oh, I know Rabby, but that's the way my father was. Same way now, which which makes me really happy is Calver is here that was his fishing partner. There's not many people here other than the kids in the family that went fishing with my father.

I I felt bad because Charlie S was coming down, Russ Malone was coming down, guys from the old neighborhood that went fishing with him. So, you know, the weather uh so flu stuff and and that type of things uh cut down the crowd a little bit, but I'm really really happy. You know, Carol's been calling me Rabby. People that know me from a long time ago, it's Ravi, right?

I'm the last rabbi, you know. None of my kids, none of my grandchildren, great grandchildren, you know, call me Rabby the grandpa. You know, some avu vavvu, you know, but my wife's giving me the uh is that is that that is that or are you or are you just cold?

Well, here's another thing that we're doing today. We brought we brought down some coffee. Anybody wants coffee, Dunkin' Donuts and all of that. But we have a reception at Barretts. The reception has a menu with four items or five items on it. Uh it'll be right by the uh bar. Um and everyone's invited.

Everyone's invited. It's She does that at home.

Yeah.

You know, she does that at home. her her and my wife. I can't win. It's two to one no matter what, you know. But, uh, I'd like to really thank everybody for being here. I see my cousin Susan. I I mentioned Carl. Uh, Kenny Rosendi's, oldtime friends of my father, you know.

I mean, it's really, really heartwarming to know that the people are here and he will be remembered.

Now, Robbie, we're going to go dedicate.

We're going to go unveil it. So, why don't you They're They're going to take the microphone off.

No, no, no, no. Go ahead. Keep speaking.

You want to keep speaking, Robbie? Of course.

No, no, no, no. We're good.

Go ahead. Over there.

You guys can come over if you want.

Let's put that over there.

Stand

like go.