Hidden Gems Of Connecticut

MANCHESTER, CT — OK Connecticut ... Talk about a Hidden Gem ... State Rep. Jason Doucette and Connecticut House Majority Leader Jason Rojas actually called Center Springs Park in Manchester that very thing at a public event last week.

And it certainly is.

Located at 38 Lodge Drive in Manchester, Center Springs Park might be hidden, but it also connects the Downtown area with the Cheney trail system. On a regional scale, one could even connect to Bolton Notch and eventually to Willimantic or Vernon via the park on foot or cycling.

Outdoors hub aside, Center Springs Park offers one of the best sledding hills in north-central Connecticut, a easy walking loop, a pond for fishing and a soon-to-be renovated amphitheater.

It also features a gazebo, observation patio, picnic areas, Little League sized baseball field and a basketball court and one of Manchester Mayor Jay Moran's favorites — a disc golf course.

State officials thought so much of it that $3 million is being invested in Center Springs Park for renovations via the State Bond Commission.

In all, the park measures 55.78 acres. The land was donated in 1915 by the Cheney and Hilliard families and the park was established six years later. The bridge to the Cheney trail system and the historic district is across the street from the main entrance.

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The Hidden Gems series features out-of-the-way mom and pop restaurants, small specialty stores you may have never heard of, little-known historical markers or beautiful nature spots that may be a bit off the beaten path, all located within Connecticut.
Columns in this series in 2022 include:

• MLK Monuments
• The Connecticut Historical Society

Columns in this series from 2021 include:

• The First Decorated Christmas Tree
• Bolton Notch Trail Bridge
• Civil War Drum
• Civil War Powder Keg
• Mile 4, Manchester Road Race
• The West Hartford Armory
• The Capitol's Nooks and Crannies
• Wickham Park Aviary
• 55 West Main, New Britain
• Fox Hopyard Golf Course
• The Dodd Center For Human Rights at UConn
• Manchester Ropes Challenge Course
• 4-H Education Center at Auerfarm
• Fuego Picante Food Truck
• The Amistad
• 9/11 memorials
• Club Champion Golf Fitters
• New England Civil War Museum and Research Center
• Avery's Soda
• Salt 2.0 Restaurant
• The Grave of Jonathan, The Original Husky
• Golden Gavel Auction House
• Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut
• The Cogswell Temperance Fountain
• The Old State House
• BouNom Bakery
• Union Pond Park/Jay Howroyd Fitness Trail
• The Submarine Force Museum/USS Nautilus
• The UConn Dairy Bar
• Grove Hill Cemetery, Vernon
• Backwoods Smokin' BBQ
• The Ranch House
• Connecticut State Police Museum
• Berlin Historic District
• Connecticut Parachutists Skydiving Club
• Tail Winds Ice Cream Shop
• The MLK Mural
• The Hilltop Restaurant and Bar
• Fork & Fire
• Lena's Italian Kitchen
• The Benedict Arnold Trail
• Swank Pearce
• Vernon Depot Historic Park
• Farr's Sporting Goods
• Robs Drivin Diner