Date: Fri 13-Oct-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

greenway-Cascella-bridle-trail

Full Text:

Cascella Backs Townwide Greenway Plan

First Selectman Bob Cascella said this week that he backs, and would like to

see expanded, a Conservation Commission proposal for a townwide open space

trail network for low-intensity recreational activities.

"The same day that I was contacted by the Conservation Commission, I also met

with representatives of the Newtown Bridle Lanes about a riding trail network

in Newtown," Mr Cascella said. "It seemed an ironic coincidence."

The first selectman said he would like to create an ad hoc committee composed

of representatives from Planning & Zoning, Park & Rec, the Conservation

Commission, Newtown Bridle Lanes, the Newtown Forestry Association, the

Newtown Hikers Club and the Board of Selectmen to investigate the possibility

of a greenway through the entire town.

The greenway would provide space for hikers, bikers, horseback riding and

would be in some way linked through the entire town, "even if it means using a

town road for a short distance," he said.

Mr Cascella said that the town can ask developers to provide a portion of

their land as open space. Funds also may be available from the federal

Inter-State Transportation Enhancement Act (ISTEA), Iroquois Gas Transmission

System grants and from a recently established state fund for open space.

In a September 28 letter to the first selectman, Donald Lawrenson,

Conservation Commission chairman, requested an allocation of $300,000 in

Iroquois funds "to implement a major open space and recreation objective of

the town plan of development (i.e;) to institute a designed system of foot and

bridle trails and bikeways which will link key components of the open space

network and community facilities."

The town still has $429,000 in Iroquois grant funding which must be allocated

by the end of this year. The natural gas company provides the grants to

communities through which its pipeline passes with such grant funds as

compensation for having the pipeline present.

Mr Cascella said he would bring the proposal to the October 23 meeting of the

Board of Selectman. Newtown Bridle Lanes also was scheduled to make a

presentation at that meeting, he said.

The first selectman said the explosion of housing developments throughout

Newtown has made it imperative that action is taken immediately to preserve

open space.

"If we don't do this now, we will lose our chance forever," he said.