Riverside Park sale endorsed by New London panel

New London - The Planning and Zoning Commission gave a favorable referral Thursday for the Coast Guard's proposed purchase of a portion of Riverside Park.

In a 5-2 vote, the commission also attached recommendations to the referral, namely that the proceeds from any sale be put in a separate account from which only the interest would be spent on maintaining the city's remaining parks.

"I've been somewhat ambivalent about this,'' said member Barry Levine, who, following a site walk of the property before the meeting Thursday, called it "pretty decrepit."

Levine said he would be in favor of a sale as long as there are plans to replace the lost open space and a mechanism in place to use the funds from the sale to maintain other parks.

"An important part of community life here is three institutions of higher learning,'' Levine said, referring to Connecticut College, Mitchell College and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, where he worked for 12 years. "And mostly, the Coast Guard has been a good neighbor.''

The proposal will now go before the City Council, which plans to hold a referendum and let residents decide whether the land should be sold.

Along with Levine, members Karl Saszik, Jim Kelly, James Fielding and Chairman Mark Christiansen voted to send the issue to the council for further discussion. Voting against were Chris Nelson and Wayne Vendetto Jr.

Selling the land clashes with the city's Plan of Conservation and Development, which recommends the city purchase more open space, Vendetto said.

"I can't see how it's consistent with the plan of development,'' he said. "It's like someone's telling me my mother is my grandfather.''

Vendetto also took exception to the characterization that the park is run down, neglected and not used. "It has a spectacular view of the Thames River without an industrial view,'' he said, adding that during the walk before the meeting, people were playing basketball, there was no litter in sight and the amphitheater was well maintained.

"That phenomenal piece of land on the water is worth much more than $2.5 million,'' he said.

By law, the commission is required to review any plan that deals with selling or altering public property. The Coast Guard is expected to make a presentation to the City Council on Sept. 20.

Before the meeting, members of the commission walked through the park as city Planner Harry Smith pointed out the potential boundaries. Wooden stakes with bright orange flags marked the proposed property lines.

Also on the walk was Margaret Cotnoir, a member of Save Ocean Beach and the Parks Commission, which are opposed to the sale. She said she learned to swim at Riverside Park.

"It had a wonderful waterfront,'' she said as the group looked through a bittersweet-covered chainlink fence and over railroad tracks to the water below. "There was a pier and a raft. We had lifeguards."

Sandra Chalk, executive director of New London Landmarks, which is also against the sale, said the waterfront could be turned into a small marina. The city's sailing program could also be moved there, she suggested.

The group also visited a large tract of land between Crystal Avenue and State Pier Road, where City Manager Martin H. Berliner has suggested a new park could be built to replace the land lost at Riverside. The land, which is dissected by the brackish and nearly stagnant Winthrop Cove, could include playground equipment, basketball courts and hiking trails. The cove, which is fenced off, could be open for fishing or kayaking, Berliner said.

The Coast Guard has submitted to the city a proposal to purchase 10.25 acres of the 18-acre park. The remaining mostly L-shaped land, which abuts Adelaide Street and runs along the Thames River, will remain as a public park. The city will also retain a strip of land along the north side of the park.

The Coast Guard's appraisal of the land is $2.4 million. The city's appraisal came in at $2.5 million.

The Coast Guard approached the city last year asking if it was interested in selling the entire park. Through months of discussions, the Coast Guard has reduced its needs to the 10.25 acres. Its plans include constructing a professional development/shipboard simulator center; a diversity/cultural center and athletic fields.