Old Lyme — The town is moving forward with plans to build an expanded boathouse at Hains Park and is currently working on a memorandum of understanding with the Lyme-Old Lyme school district.

The planned two-story boathouse, with vertical storage racks and a fitness area, will replace the current one-story boathouse, built in 1988. The town has received a Small Town Economic Assistance Program grant totaling nearly $500,000 from the state to improve the boathouse.

The school district owns the current facility but is expected to transfer ownership of it to the town for the renovations. The town and the district will then decide how the new facility will be used and maintained, said First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder at Tuesday's Board of Selectmen meeting.

The overall project for Hains Park calls for replacing the park’s dock and renovating the park’s restrooms, among other things, according to a document outlining the project to prospective engineers.

The town committee charged with improving the boathouse is also developing a website that will provide information on the project and facilitate fundraising for the project. People will be able to donate to the project through the website.