Ground Broken on Glastonbury Riverfront Park Project

The official beginning of construction on Phase II of the Glastonbury Riverfront Park Expansion Project began Thursday with a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the former Hallmark Tire Company on Welles St.

“Today is a great day for Glastonbury,” Town Council Chairman Stewart “Chip” Beckett III said at the ceremony. “We’ve talked for decades about having access to the riverfront, and now we’re finally going to start.”

The plan for the second phase of the expansion includes the construction of a two-story boathouse that will serve as home base for the Glastonbury Crew Club. The boathouse will be equipped with public restrooms, a second-story observation deck and a multi-purpose room for public use. In addition, it will house workout and storage areas for the club. A lighted basketball court, public skating rink, scenic walkways and boat ramps for motorized and non-motorized boats, including emergency vehicles, are all part of the plan.

The expansion will offer Glastonbury its first public access to the Connecticut River.

“This project will renew our community’s connection to the river,” Beckett said.

Last week the town council voted to increase the project’s budget by more than $1 million to cover bidding overruns in order to start the project in a timely manner.  The total cost of the project is currently $13.3 million.

State Senator Steve Cassano was also on hand at the groundbreaking. Cassano helped procuring a $2.4 million state grant to help fund the project last year. 

“This was a community effort that we should all be proud of,” Cassano said.

The town hopes to have the project completed by next summer.