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When is a park . . . more than a park? When it’s a Heritage Park

The Communications and Programming Committee had a most productive meeting at Fort Trumbull Thursday. Chair Penny Parsekian had occasion to return to the Fort in the evening and took this great photo.

This really is a remarkable structure and we urge everyone to visit it, as well as its comprehensive Visitors Center and museum.

Anyway, as you might guess, lots of the meeting centered around our new acquisition of 2 Navy surplus utility boats (yay!) which will arrive at Crocker’s boatyard in New London the week of November 30^th. Water Taxi Subcommittee Chair Marian Galbraith will be planning a press event for the occasion, so stay tuned for details.

Now that the boats are no longer merely figments of our fevered brains, the Committee set to work to draft a water taxi marketing budget, along with the marketing plan specific to the water taxi. As our DEEP Liaison and Director of State Parks Tom Tyler reminded the group, this is the first State of Connecticut Heritage Park, and as such it is more than the sum of its parts.

*Communications Committee members from L to R: Tom Tyler, Emily Ross Feltes, Chris Cox, Penny Parsekian, and Deborah Donovan. Alan Levere of DEEP took the photo and is a resource for the committee.*

So one of the next tasks on the Communications Committee’s agenda is the development of a Map and Guide for the park, to introduce the idea of the Heritage Park and list all the reasons (well, maybe not all, since there are hundreds) why people should visit it. Andrei Harwell, who designed the Yale Urban Design Workshop report and the THRP logo, has agreed to design this new publication as well. Transition Team Chair Chris Cox will be arranging for the Committee to meet with master map maker and way-finding designer Dennis O’Brien, to acquaint him with our project and share ideas.

The Committee has also continued its outreach to potential partners and supporters, having met with the Connecticut Explored Magazine staff as well as representatives from the Community Foundation. We are hoping and anticipating that when 501 c 3 status is approved and the non-profit Thames River Heritage Park Foundation is finally a reality, the non-profit will have a great foundation of information and partnerships on which to build. It won’t be long now!

Our 2 Water Taxis have been donated!

Yesterday, Transition Team Chair Chris Cox gave the Team some great news.

This is your basic Willard utility boat--roomy, efficient, and coming to the Thames River next year! — *This is your basic Willard utility boat–roomy, efficient, and coming to the Thames River next year!*

“The Navy has allocated two Willard Utility boats valued at $137,000 each to us for a small, $100 fee! These are identical to the Liberty launch that we used in the demonstration project. We are, needless to say, thrilled.”

Chris also added that Crocker’s Boatyard is helping sponsor the project by storing the boats, which will be delivered within the next 2-3 weeks.

Groton City Mayor Marian Galbraith, whose work as Chair of the Water Taxi Subcommittee was, in Chris’ words, “central to the acquisition effort,” clarified that the donation was made possible by both the General Services Administration with the support of the US Navy, and the Connecticut Federal Surplus Program, part of the State Administrative Services Department, who agreed on the (very minimal) cost to us of the boats.

The City of Groton will be the technical recipient and “owner” of the boats, which are already stipulated for use as water taxis by the Heritage Park.

As mentioned earlier, the boats will undergo a survey before being transported, but there are rumors of a “They’re Finally Here” party to be held on the date they arrive. We’ll keep you posted.

Updates to the Yale Study . . . and letters of support galore

In April 2015 The Yale Urban Design Workshop presented a comprehensive study of the proposed Park, its history, and area surrounding it, and compiled an overview of how the park could “engage residents and visitors in a rich program of events, culture and experiences which celebrate the diverse peoples and traditions that have shaped the life of the region.”

You can find the entire document here, and as of now it includes an “Appendix,” which is actually a collection of the many letters of support that the Steering Committee received in favor of the establishment of the Park, and an overview of Water Taxi demonstration project last year. These letters are key in our application to receive two surplus Navy vessels that will be able to take visitors across the river and connect the parks. You can also read them in a separate document here—they’ll give you more insight into the many organizations and institutions that are really excited about the Park and its possibilities.

Water Taxi Letters of Support

We have a Name, and a Mission!

The Transition Team met on October 28^th and various subcommittees reported on their progress; all activities appear to be on schedule, and even potential office space for the new non-profit was discussed.

What was really exciting, though, was the final approval of the name of the new entity, as well as its mission statement.

The new non-profit will be called the Thames River Heritage Park Foundation.

This is its mission statement:

“The Thames River Heritage Park Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission and purpose is to develop, promote, coordinate, and help preserve a new type of Connecticut state park known as the Thames River Heritage Park, which will include sites of national and historical significance along the Thames River in and around the City and Town of Groton and New London, located across from each other near the mouth of the river. The Foundation carries out its purpose in collaboration with the State of Connecticut, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Navy, local municipalities and regional authorities, and the numerous heritage sites within its area. A primary role of the Foundation is the oversight and operation of a water shuttle system designed to transport visitors to and from sites of significance on both sides of the Thames River.”

We are now eagerly awaiting word, which should come in two weeks, on the two Navy surplus boats we’ve applied for. With the boats plus the approval of our Urban Act grant application, which we hope will be on the Bond Commission agenda in January 2016, we will be well on our way to having the water taxis operational by next summer. Fingers and toes crossed!

It’s Official

The Thames River Heritage Park Steering Committee met for the final time last Wednesday, and agreed that the Transition Team would take over the coordination of the next steps in forming the non-profit that works in collaboration with the sites within the Park on both sides of the Thames River. One of our favorite reporters, Judy Benson of the New London Day, has been covering both the Steering Committee and Transition Team’s activities since their inception; you can find her article on the hand-off here.

The Steering Committee met for over a year to “revive a plan to join existing historical sites on both sides of the Thames River into a multi-site state park.” Many members are now members of the Transition Team, including Chris Cox, who is its new Chair. This is really helpful, since it ensures the continuity of the activities planned and the timeline for completion. For example, the two grant applications initiated by the Steering Committee are now being overseen by Transition Team sub-committees, and hopefully we’ll hear some news regarding their status within the next few weeks. At the Team’s next full meeting we’ll be approving the mission statement and reviewing the status of the 501 c 3 application. So stay tuned!

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