water taxi

Transition Team Updates from the recent meeting

The Transition Team as a whole met Wednesday December 9^th, this time at the Submarine Force Library and Museum, located, cleverly, right next to the Sub Base on Crystal Lake Rd. (off of Rt 12) in Groton. And what a very cool place it is, with interesting items on the grounds and an interactive museum just like Fort Trumbull.

Here's the entrance — *Here’s the entrance*

There are all kinds of colorful thingamabobs outside the building.

Here’s a vintage sub—how cute!—from the 1950’s

This one looks scary

There’s the Nautilus, napping at the dock (and nearby will be the future site of the dock of the water taxi—we hope!)

You don’t realize how big these things are till you meet them face to face—this conning tower is at the entrance to the museum

The committees had lots of news to report, but it was kind of sad because this marked the last meeting for our friend and fellow Transition Team member, Captain Carl Lahti, the 50^th Commanding officer of the Naval Submarine Base New London (his official title, and yes, the base is on the Groton side of the river). Carl has been really great about keeping us in the loop regarding the status of the plans for future water taxi dock space near the Nautilus, and we learned more at this meeting regarding that. At this point the Navy is waiting for an updated proposal from the CT DEEP (one is in place but it is ten years old so time to update it), which will happen when permits and funds are in place, so the water taxi dock at the Nautilus will not happen in 2016. However, all parties are quite positive about it, and our new liaison, Captain Paul Whitescarver (the 51^st Commanding officer of the Naval Submarine Base New London), was also at the meeting and promised to pick up where Capt. Lahti left off.

Water taxi committee Chair Marian Galbraith gave an overview of what’s in store for our new boats this winter: first the “de-preservation” of the engines, then a marine survey to tell us what’s needed to bring the boats up to USCG passenger-carrying standards, then the development of a budget. Meanwhile, the hulls will be painted before it gets too cold. A big plus is that all the canvas is in good shape—phew! One expensive bullet dodged.

The Team also discussed the continuing hunt for permanent office space for the new 501 c 3, the RFP for water taxi operation, and the bylaws and articles of incorporation for the agency, which will be in place by the end of the year.

The City of Groton is also looking into obtaining insurance so volunteers can work helping get the boats ready. And we couldn’t have done any of this without the generosity of our pals at Crocker’s Boat Yard on Howard Street in New London where the taxis are being stored free of charge.

When relatives come to the area for the holidays . . .

. . . take them to parts of the new Heritage Park!

That is what your blogger did when her sister visited from Manhattan this Thanksgiving. We grew up in what is called the Groton Bank neighborhood. It’s full of historic homes (ours was one), including of course the Avery Copp house, the Mother Bailey House, and Fort Griswold, but when we were kids it was just one big playground, especially one of our favorite places on earth—Fort Griswold. And as far as bells and whistles go, the Fort may not be all that, but there is something quite magical about the place that stays in your imagination and continues to draw visitors from both far away and down the road. As we were walking through it that mild Friday afternoon, we both admitted that the feeling here is a lot like Gettysburg—you really get a sense that something monumental, scary, and visceral happened on this ground. Even as kids we could almost hear the soldiers, their footsteps down the dirt embankments. So here is a little photo-tour of what you might see if you take a water taxi over to the foot of Fort Street and walk up to Fort Griswold.

Here is the Thames Street entrance, which actually is not considered the “main” entrance, but it’s what you see as soon as you get off the dock on the Groton side.

On your right is the Ebenezer Avery house (not to be confused with the Avery-Copp house), which served as a makeshift hospital for British soldiers, and which was moved from Thames Street to this location in the 1970’s and then restored later.

You can go into the Fort this way, which will put you at the bottom of the fort, or if you have a car or like to walk you can continue on up to Monument Street and enter through the main gate.

This is where you can read about the Battle of Groton Heights of September 6, 1781, and see the plaque listing all the colonial soldiers who died here. You can also read about past and current efforts to restore and maintain the “earthworks—” the mounds of dirt and stone that protected the fort’s highest area. You can also have your photo taken sitting on the cannons—I think it’s almost a law. I understand why you can’t climb on the earthworks now, but I have to say, being a kid here was a ton of fun.

*looking down from the higher battlefield (where Col. Ledyard surrendered); New London is across the river. Fort Street and the Ebenezer Avery house is out of the photo, about 500 yards to the right*

Then you can go through the tunnel to the protective gulley that leads down to the main battlefield bordered on two sides by gun mounts facing the river. The fort, in that days of your blogger’s callow youth, was completely overgrown and it was impossible to pass through these earthen canals—the State has done a great job of restoring the site to the way it must have looked (minus a few of the cannons) at the time of the battle.

Down in the main part of the fort you can look at the shot furnace and the Powder Magazine,

check out the gun mounts, with New London winking across the river,

and then take a look over your shoulder at the earthworks and the Monument in the background.

There is something indescribably lovely about being here, and I can say that after all these years, I never get tired of visiting it.

But wait! Our trip is not complete. The sun was setting so we took a quick drive down to Eastern Point Beach, at the tip of the Thames River, to enjoy the beautiful sky and the New London shoreline.

*This is the Tyler House at Eastern Point beach, preserved by local residents in 1970 and used for offices, snack bar and first aid/lifeguard station.*

For some reason it’s hard to get a non-fuzzy photo of New London Light—it keeps moving, or something. But you can see how, even this late in the season, families and walkers and admirers are still spending time near the Thames River; it’s really that spectacular. (Ledge Light is in the background in the photo below.)

UConn's Avery Point campus — *UConn’s Avery Point campus*

So for those of you who are wondering, “Just what is there to do in the new Heritage Park?” here are two of possibly two hundred stories.

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

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