Date: Fri 11-Apr-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Park-Rec-Amaral

Full Text:

Park & Rec Eager To Use Amaral Property

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

An enthusiastic Parks & Recreation Commission visited the Amaral property off

Elm Drive Tuesday night.

The 13-acre parcel, up for sale by the Amaral brothers, Daniel and Marcus,

lies adjacent to Dickinson Park, making it especially attractive to the

commission as well as many other residents who recognize the need for more

park space in town, particularly ballfields. The town has been given first

refusal on the sale.

Parks & Recreation Chairman Larry Haskel likened the purchase of the land to

the United States' desire to expand the boundaries of the country during the

1840s. "It's kind of like manifest destiny," he said following the brief tour

earlier this week.

The Amaral land lies directly north of the park tennis courts.

Parks & Recreation Director Barbara Kasbarian said the commission is excited

about the opportunity to get additional ballfields in town. She said at least

two ballfields could be built on the property.

"What kind of fields? I'm not sure. We need to hire a landscape architect to

determine what kind of fields and where they could be laid out," she said.

It all sounds good, but then there's the question of money. Currently, the

Amaral brothers are asking for $400,000, which the town could afford through

the use of the $455,000 in open space grants from the Iroquois Gas

Transmission System, which the town now has at its disposal. However, before

the town decides to buy, First Selectman Bob Cascella wants to be certain of

the property's actual value.

"The value of a piece of property is its highest and best use. I want to know

if this land can be developed. I just want to make sure we get the most bang

for the buck," the first selectman said Wednesday.

Mr Cascella wants to know how many homes could be built on the property if a

residential developer and not the town were to buy the land.

The first selectman tabled discussion on the land purchase issue at Monday's

Board of Selectmen meeting, citing a need for more information. Before moving

on, though, selectman Gary Fetzer voiced his concerns over purchasing the land

with the Iroquois funds. Mr Fetzer is the chairman of the town's Greenways

Committee, which is working to establish a continuous trail system through

Newtown, connecting all of the town's major open spaces. The Greenways

Committee had anticipated using the Iroquois funds as "seed money" to help

jump start its plan.

"I think the [Amaral] property itself has merit, but I do have concerns. I am

concerned about using Iroquois funds for this. I thought the money would be

used to establish Greenways. To pull this money now would be very detrimental

to what we're trying to do," he said.

Mr Fetzer said use of the Iroquois money is critical to acquiring easements

and other small pieces of land.

"We're at a critical time. It's very important for us to make concrete steps

to show the public that we're serious about this project," he said.

Selectman Jim Mooney reiterated his support for Greenways, but reminded Mr

Fetzer that picking up the Amaral property would be a once-in-a-lifetime

opportunity.

"The Greenways Committee is meeting tomorrow night, what am I supposed to tell

them?" Mr Fetzer inquired.

"I would not say to Greenways that they should stop what they're doing. This

is a one-time deal," replied Mr Cascella.

The first selectman said the Greenways trail system is a perpetual project

that will continue for years to come. He expects Greenways to receive funding

from the town again in the future.

One of the conditions set forth by Iroquois for allowing the purchase of the

Amaral property was that the town would set up a preservation fund.

Mr Fetzer said it will be more difficult to ask for money in the budget for

Greenways than it will be for a specific piece of land, like the Amaral

property.

Funding by Iroquois was designated for the purchase of open space for passive

use, but because the town intends to use part of the land for recreational

use, the pipeline company was forced to stray from its policy. Mr Fetzer

pointed out that Iroquois has turned down applications for passive open space

in the past and is now giving approval for recreational open space.

After touring the Amaral property Tuesday, the Parks & Recreation Commission

visited the 22.6 acres at Fairfield Hills, which was recently offered to the

town. If the town accepts this gift, the recreation commission would also like

to see ballfields built there.

That fact has the Greenways Committee wondering: is the Amarals property being

considered for open space or ballfields.

"If we're going after the Amaral property just to build ballfields, why can't

we just put the ballfields at Fairfield Hills?" Mr Fetzer asked.