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Gov. Dannel P. Malloy last week announced plans to turn the 32-acre property in Waterford commonly known as “Seaside” into a state park. Converting the property, which borders Long Island Sound, into a state park will preserve the grounds while also maintaining public access to the beautiful shoreline, he said.
“This is a beautiful piece of land that should be used for the direct benefit and enjoyment of the residents of Waterford and the State of Connecticut,” Malloy said. “We now have an opportunity reassess the future of this property and allow the people of Connecticut to enjoy its natural beauty for generations.”
Although the property is owned by the state, it has been subject to a contract with a private developer since 2010. The state Department of Administrative Services has notified the developer that the state is terminating that contract.
Malloy is directing the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Department of Administrative Services and the Office of Policy and Management to work together to determine the costs of preserving whatever historically significant property can be preserved, removing what cannot be saved, and designing and establishing appropriately-scaled facilities for park users.
The state agencies were told to conclude their review by Jan. 1.
“Governor Malloy’s action to preserve Seaside as a state park is a perfect capstone to the celebration of the Centennial of our park system,” DEEP Commissioner Rob Klee said. “Designating these scenic lands as a new state park helps guarantee that our residents and visitors have expanded access to our Long Island Sound waters and the first-rate outdoor recreational activities they provide. This is the perfect way to launch the second century of our state park system.”
The first State Park in Connecticut was Sherwood Island State Park, along the coast in Westport.
The Connecticut State Park System operates under the management of DEEP and currently consists of 107 parks with more than 32,000 acres of land and more than 8 million visitors a year. A list of Connecticut’s state parks, including visitor information, can be found online at www.ct.gov/deep.
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