By Richard Kaufman
Sentinel Reporter
In a year that’s been filled with hardships and trying times, there was a reason to celebrate and smile on Wednesday morning.
Members from the Town of Greenwich, Greenwich Land Trust (GLT), and Aquarion Water Company gathered at the GLT offices on Round Hill Road to officially commemorate the town’s acquisition of 72 acres of open space located at 836 Lake Ave.
The deal was completed late last month after the town and the GLT each put up $1 million to purchase the parcel of land, which will now be known as Converse Brook Preserve, from Aquarion.
Converse Brook Preserve now adds to Greenwich’s 800-plus acres of open space. There is a conservation easement in place on the property, which enables it to be protected and conserved in perpetuity. The land has remained untouched for generations, and will be maintained and stewarded as a natural area with public access for activities such as hiking, birding, and nature walks available to the community.
“This is a continuation of our land preservation efforts, and it’s exciting. It’s one of the feel-good stories of 2020, in a year that really hasn’t had that many,” said First Selectman Fred Camillo on Wednesday. “It’s going to be great, and we’re all looking forward to it. I salute both the GLT and Aquarion, and the town. They’ve really stepped up and made it happen. It’s a great deal for the town.”
Don Morrissey, President of Aquarion, said the deal has been “a long time coming.”
“It’s going to be great to see the residents of Greenwich enjoy that property,” Morrissey said. “This is something that was on people’s radars almost a decade ago. I think there was an understanding that there was mutual interest there. Once we connected, we said, ‘Hey, we’ve got a real opportunity here, how do we find a way where we can move this forward for everyone’s benefit?'”
Patricia Sesto, Director of Environmental Affairs for Greenwich, said the reaction from the community about the land has been nothing but positive. She added that the collaboration between all parties involved was key to securing a deal, and that the relationship with the GLT is enhanced.
“This just strengthens the partnership between the town and the land trust. It’s so solid. There’s so many things that we can learn from each other, through things like property management and evasive management. Things like this just reinforce that flow of information,” she said.
Will Kies, Executive Director for the GLT, called the deal a “community effort” after funds for the purchase were raised from donations. He noted that the land is now the GLT’s largest preserve, and it will take some time in coming up with plans to allow access to the public.
“There’s no infrastructure now, there’s no parking, no trails. It’s just a raw piece of land, and it’s going to take time to thoughtfully look at the property,” he said. “We really have to look at it from a regulatory standpoint, an ecological standpoint, and come up with a plan. Our timeline is in the next 6-12 months, from start to finish, that we’re hoping we’ll have everything in place for our community to be able to utilize it.”
As the owner of the conservation easement, the town will have oversight responsibility to ensure the property is being managed consistent with what the public’s expectations are, Sesto said.
The GLT is accepting donations for the development of infrastructure and for long-term stewardship of Converse Brook Preserve. For more information, click here.
