Seaside as a State Shoreline Park: What You Said

The question posted on the New London Patch Facebook page was “What do you think about Malloy’s plans for Seaside?“

The query was posed after Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced that Seaside will become the first shoreline state park Connecticut has seen in more than 50 years. Here are some of the responses from area Patch readers.

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Didn’t get a chance to weigh in? Share your ideas in the comments below.

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What People Want

• Patricia McGilvery Bell I would like to see someone with the money come in and restore the buildings and give Waterford a kick with maybe a bed and breakfast, docks for boaters, a restaurant and a small amphitheater, Not only will it contribute to taxes it will also provide jobs. With the right developer and thought Seaside can become something spectacular, and yes definitely keep it dog friendly. We go there all the time with our four legged family member. Lets give the money back into Waterford not the State! Good going Malloy!

• Meg Elizabeth Make it dog friendly!!!!

• Toni Deurloo-Grady Dog friendly a must.

• Kathie Lewis Cassidy bring something that will bring in tax dollars. The State has let the property rundown long enough. Now, Waterford has to be smart and look for ways to capitalize on the property. Not houses, we don’t need more expenses (schools, emergency responses, etc.), we need consistent tax base.

• Wendy Oviatt Pias Absolutely!!! Connecticut residents need more access to the shore!!!

• Judy Danao I think it is a wonderful idea! In the summertime all the beaches fill to capacity and many get turned away because of this. For someone like myself who believes in open space for all I think it is a great idea.

What People Don’t Want

• Jake Reagan Not a state park

• Jamie Rice Luzader Traffic patterns, congestion, trash, etc... what will that [do] for the property values in the area??

• Jonathan Conderino What’s harkness? Not considered a shoreline state park? Two within 3 miles is a waste.

• Bellinda Allen Boo! Now I’ll have to pay to get in, and what happens to those beautiful buildings there!? I like that it’s private and no one goes there!! Ughhhh

• Debbie Gordon Long This was the only place to enjoy the beach without having to pay. I like it just the way it is.

• Victoria Mueller I think this is a shame. Isn’t there a state park with waterfront right around the corner at Harkness? This is simply a case where the neighbors don’t want perceived traffic increase/other such undesirable side effect through their backyards, and the rest of the residents of the Town of Waterford, County of New London, and State of Connecticut will have to shoulder the tax burden of cleaning the site up and then keeping it off of the tax rolls instead of it becoming an income producing property. Absolutely pathetic.

Other Comments

• Traci Giusti Santos Hello...isn’t Harkness a state park, on the shoreline, and a mile maybe two from Seaside. Oh my head.

• Kathy Bray-Coggeshall All talk just do it!

• Rick Beaney Another bad idea by our “leaders” of CT. Two state parks within a mile or two of each other. Keep voting the same old people in and CT will continue to be one of the worst states to live in and raise a family in the country.

• Bill Brett Can’t take care of what we have. Not necessary! Harkness doesn’t allow swimming neither will Seaside. Perfect election timing. Reminds who not to vote for.

• Judy Danao I can’t believe the negativity.....sorry for those of you who think this is not a good idea, one has to wonder if you are the same ones that are always complaining about something. You obviously don’t know much about what it like living down there in “their backyards”.

• Colin Brouwer Undecided but it’s new and exciting having spent many childhood and developing teen years at Harkness and walking over sometimes to that area and hoping they would do something with it hope for the best and success if it’s an inevitability nice area...

• Edward Oddie If the neighbors didn’t want the property to be able become a resort area because of the traffic just wait until it becomes a public beach area !!

Do you agree with any of the readers who commented? What are your thoughts on the governor’s idea?

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(Photo by Artondra Hall, via flickr creative commons)