Riverside Park: Where It Stands Now

Players on both sides of the dispute over whether New London should sell a portion of to the Coast Guard Academy are using the time until the public referendum on that sale in November of 2011 to make their case to voters.

According to Communications Director David M. Santos, "Between now and next November, Academy personnel will continue to share information with the citizens of New London about the proposal."

At least one of the several groups that opposed the sale during months of debates also intends to continue its involvement with the issue. Preservation organization is "planning to develop programs and ideas to create public interest in saving the park during the next year," Executive Director Sandra Kersten Chalk said in an e-mail, adding "It will certainly be an election issue."

City Manager Martin Berliner said that the city will continue to maintain the property and keep it open for public use, but that the issue is now "up to the voters." Berliner's tenure as city manager ends on Dec. 10, and though he is currently in discussions with the City Council about a possible future consultant role the projects he might work on in that capacity would most likely not involve the park.

On Sept. 20, the council voted 4-3 to sell 9.14 acres of the park to the Coast Guard Academy for $2.9 million. Then, as previously agreed, supporters and opponents of the sale collected signatures petitioning to overturn the vote, in accordance with the procedure laid out in the City Charter to put the question to a public referendum. On Oct. 18, the City Council voted 4-3 in favor of a special election, falling short of the 5 votes that would have been needed for that election to be held. The vote will therefore take place at the time of the regular election in November 2011.

If the sale goes through, the Coast Guard Academy plans to use the land for projects such as a Professional Development/Shipboard Simulator Center; a Diversity/Cultural Center; and new athletic fields to replace those that will be affected by other construction on campus. The Academy echoed previous statements that it has no intention to build outside of New London at this time, concentrating instead on the acquisition of the segment of Riverside Park agreed to in September.

"We believe purchasing a portion of the park provides the best and most economical option to fulfill our plans to grow right here in New London and continue the long-standing partnership with the city we've called home for the last 100 years," Santos said.

The Coast Guard had initially offered to buy the entire park, but that proposal was turned down by the City Council.

For many years, people have complained of disrepair and drug activity  in Riverside Park. The pedestrian bridge that spans the railroad tracks between the park and the waterfront is in poor condition, according to the New London Recreation Department, as is the play equipment, pavilion, and parking lot. The restrooms are closed to the public. In the Recreation Department's assessment, the park is viewed as "uninviting" and "unsafe." But residents still use the space; children play basketball there, and local organizations have led volunteers in efforts to clean up the area.

The fate of Riverside Park has been contested practically since New London bought the land in 1893. In 1908 two wealthy residents bought adjacent land and donated it to the city, which expanded the park's size. In the early 20^th century the park was a favorite relaxation spot for local children and beach-goers. It attracted motorists from around the country with shower facilities for travelers. Various groups planted trees in the park, which at one time had amenities like a pier and a general store.

Over time the park's size has been reduced as several chunks have been removed, some given to the Coast Guard for its academy campus, and some taken by the federal government by eminent domain. Plans for selling all or parts of the park for various uses have been floated, and fought over, for decades.