Nick Gauthier

Montville Bonding

The commission approved $1.4 million for the Avalonia Land Conservancy to purchase of the Bond Property in Montville.
 
The Bond Commission also approved $625,000 for three other projects in Montville.
 
The 637-acre Bond Property encompasses more than 1 square mile of forested woodland, fields, streams and ponds. The $1.4 million will go toward the $6 million purchase price.
 
The three projects that also received funding in town are the following: 

• $250,000 for renovations and upgrades to the Montville VFW, Post 10060;
• $200,000 for pavilion renovations and recreational field upgrades in Montville;
• $175,000 for upgrades and paving of the Montville pickleball court parking lot.

What is most striking about this opportunity to preserve more than 1 square mile of continuous open space is how unique it is. Having toured the property with members of our Montville community of all ages, many are surprised to learn that a tract of land with such breadth and diversity exists locally.
 
The sheer amount of space that we can choose to make available for public benefit is unheard of in our region.

I want to thank my fellow members of the Montville state delegation -- Sens. Martha Marx and Catherine Osten, as well as Reps. Nick Menapace and Kevin Ryan -- as well as the members of the Montville Town Council, members of the Avalonia Land Trust, and other members of the local community for joining me in backing this effort to fund open space preservation responsibly.

We, along with local residents, including Montville Girl Scouts, worked to build public attention for this project. We are  proud to see it to a positive conclusion.

This is going to to make an enormous difference in the lives of Montville residents, and residents in the region, in terms of passive recreation as well as preserving the environment.