Wallingford To Receive $487K State Grant For Open Space

WALLINGFORD, CT — The Wallingford Water Division will receive a $487,500 state grant to buy nearly 100 acres of open space in town.

The funding is part of $7.29 million the state is releasing to purchase and protect 1,013 acres of open space in 17 Connecticut communities, and $276,200 to restore and renew of green spaces in six urban areas, Gov. Ned Lamont announced this week.

The funds will be provided through Connecticut's Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program and the Urban Green and Community Gardens Grant Program, which are both administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

“Connecticut’s preservation of open space has helped define its landscape and preserve its important natural resources and natural beauty and is one of the main things that makes this state such a great place to call home,” Lamont said in a statement. “These grants continue our open space preservation legacy and will increase the availability and quality of open space for all residents across our state, whether they live in an urban, suburban, or rural area.”

The Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program assists local governments, land trusts, and water companies in purchasing open space using funding from the Community Investment Act and state bond funds. This grant program requires a match by the grant recipient and requires the open space land be protected by a conservation and public recreation easement, ensuring that the property is forever protected for public use and enjoyment.

"Since the open space program began in 1998, more than $150 million in state funding has been awarded to municipalities, nonprofit land conservation organizations, and water companies to assist in the purchase of more than 41,200 acres of land in order to protect natural resources and improve the quality of life for residents and visitors alike," DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said in a news release.

Read details on the Wallingford project below:

Project Name: 264 Williams Road Rear

Sponsor: Town of Wallingford Water Division

Grant: $487,500

Total Area: 95.281 acres

Description: The Town of Wallingford Water Division will purchase the rear portion of 264 Williams Road in the Wallingford public drinking supply watershed to be classified as Class I and Class II water company lands after its purchase. The Muddy River is a Class AA watercourse and the primary tributary for McKenzie Reservoir, one of the town’s public drinking water supply reservoirs. Muddy River traverses the middle of the property north to south, flowing approximately 2,500 feet south to the north end of the McKenzie Reservoir. Preservation of this property protects an undeveloped watershed area from environmental degradation, contributes to water quality purification in the open and forested areas, and protects a public drinking water supply for the residents and businesses of Wallingford. Public access and parking will be provided off Williams Road. A loop trail will be created that will connect to an existing wood road in the wooded section of the property. Passive recreational activities include hiking, cross country skiing, nature photography, and stream fishing (the Muddy River supports a native brook trout population). A scenic viewing area, with a stone dust pad and bench accessible to persons with disabilities, will be added, affording views of the meadow and the high ridge to the east, which acts as a highway for migrating flocks and wildlife movement and connects to other ridges offsite.