Parks

Parks and open space are vital to the well-being of a community and its residents. Willimantic Whitewater Partnership's vision for a linear park system along the Willimantic River that is connected by trails featuring riverwalks and river access, provides open space and views, as well as arts performance and open-air display space, will promote an engaged, healthy community and active lifestyles.

Left:  Aerial photo of the Bridge Street Property, as seen on the left of the river, just beyond the bridge in the foreground (use by permission of G. Leslie Sweetnam)

The Bridge Street property, a future park, intersects and unifies all three elements of our vision that require a physical presence on the Willimantic River. It will serve as an anchor for the future hub incorporating rivers, parks, and trails. The Bridge Street property consists of 3.4 acres of riverfront property that includes the entire riverbed, as well as the breached dam on the property. The property is contiguous to the East Coast Greenway and is ideally situated to serve as a trailhead for the Greenway. Development of the Bridge Street property into an attractive community park will provide an aesthetic and visible gateway into the city, as well as initiate the beautification of the north end of Willimantic.

Right:  Bridge Street property, Riverfest, '08

Left:  volunteers clean up the Bridge Street property

In addition to the Bridge Street Park, the envisioned linear park comprises three separate parcels including lands west of Bridge Street along the river toward the railroad museum, land across the river on its south side, and land downriver extending from Bridge Street under the historic footbridge all the way to Thread City Crossing (aka The Frog Bridge). The linear park will be interwoven with local trails leading to historic downtown Willimantic and other community attractions.