Hundreds Gather to Support Stop the Swap Picnic Rally

Views of the Connecticut River and Goodspeed Opera House set the stage for Stop the Swap Picnic Rally that took place on Saturday at Eagle Landing State Park. 

Hundreds of citizens gathered on land and by water to rally support for the opposition of a plan to trade 17 acres of state land in the Tylerville section of Haddam for 87 acres of privately owned land in Higganum. The land swap plan is backed by Sen. Eileen Daily and is included in a Senate conveyance bill.

The organizers of the event argue that the trade of these 17 acres would set a very dangerous precedent and make all State of Connecticut open space “vulnerable to developers”.

Energy was high as speakers for the event addressed the crowd from the back of a blue pickup truck decorated with signs and green and white balloons. (see video)

Speakers included Melissa Schlag Proulx and Suzanne Haig of Citizens for Protection of Public Land, Martha McLaud Tonucci of the CT Botanical Society,  Michael Harris of  Earth Charter Community of Lower Valley, Todd Gelston of the East Haddam Land Trust, Rob Smith, retired Assistant Director of State Parks and director for EHLT and Martin Mador , Legislative and Political Chair of the Sierra Club.

Phil Miller, Essex First  Selectman and State Representative, presented his plan to submit an amendement to Senate Bill Number 1196, which includes the land swap, to “strike section 10 in its entirety” from the bill.

Proponents argue the plan would help boost economic development in Tylerville. The land in question overlooks the Connecticut River and abuts the Riverhouse developers’ banquet facility. The Riverhouse partners have proposed building a boutique hotel on the site and associated retail space. 

Currently, there are over 400 signatures on the petition to Stop the Swap.