By SUSAN CORICA STAFF WRITER PLYMOUTH — The old North Street Reservoir, now officially known as the Plymouth Reservoir Recreation Area, will be open for fishing and boating in time for fall foliage season. “We are very close to opening,” said Michael Ganem, Parks and Recreation director. “At this point I’m waiting on signs. We have to post parking signs, handicapped signs. We’re just waiting on the small stuff to come in so we can get people the right information. Once those are in and installed I think we’ll be ready.” The town bought the 178-acre property, which includes a 39.5-acre reservoir, for $1.45 million from the Connecticut Water Co. in 2012. Last March, the Town Council handed jurisdiction of the land to the Parks and Recreation Commission, which designated a subcommittee to set the ground rules on what recreation will be allowed there. . . Mayor David Merchant recently reported to the council that the dock is built and a small sidewalk leading to a port-a-potty is being put in for handicapped accessibility. “That whole project should be complete and ready for use here in another couple of weeks,” Merchant said. “If we get some rain that will be a little bit helpful, because right now that water is down a long ways.” There is also a parking lot with space for 12 to 15 cars and a drop-off area, said Ganem. “Right now it’s for fishing and boating only. Hiking trails are going to be Phase 2, that would probably be next year,” he said. “Swimming for now is not an allowable use,” he commented. “We want to walk before we run. It’s a very beautiful piece of property, we want to make sure that we don’t overuse it, and take away from its beauty and serenity.” Now Parks and Recreation is getting ready to contact property-owners adjoining the new recreation area who are encroaching on the town property. The reservoir subcommittee has been putting out a warning about that, he said. “We have to move them back to their side of the line, so we’re going to knock on some doors when the [hot] weather breaks and we can more easily walk through the briars, and hopefully that will do the trick.” “After that we’ll write some letters to those that fail to comply,” Ganem said. “Then after the first class letter gets sent, if they still fail to comply our plan of action probably will be to send certified letters.” If any residents refuse to cooperate after that, “we will probably have to take other action as the charter allows us,” he added. Ganem thinks it’s just a question of neighbors not knowing where their property lines are, and putting a swing set or storing a boat where they shouldn’t. The boundaries weren’t clearly marked before, he said. “I’m guessing they’ve probably done it for years not realizing that it belonged to the Connecticut Water Co., and then subsequently has become Town of Plymouth property.” “I don’t believe it’s a big problem,” he said. “We just need to approach those people to make them aware of the property line and ask them to follow the law of the town – the charter – that’s designed to be fair and equitable to all town residents.” In 2011, the water company announced its intention to sell the property, which is part of the Naugatuck River watershed, saying it was no longer needed for the water supply. The town was given the first chance at buying it. Then-Mayor Vincent Festa secured a $650,000 state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection grant and an $800,000 federal grant for the purchase, and voters overwhelmingly approved it in a town meeting in November, 2011. The purchase agreement stipulates that the property can only be used for passive, non-motorized recreation, such as boating, fishing and walking, which is also a condition of the state grant money. Susan Corica can be reached at (860) 584-0501 ext. 7259 or scorica@bristolpress.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 19:22:45 +0000
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