Bartlett Arboretum Receives State Grant For New Open Air Pavilion

STAMFORD, CT — Open spaces are vital to any municipality, and especially during the pandemic, they have proved to be important areas where residents could escape their homes and get some fresh air.

In an attempt to preserve land and enhance urban green spaces around the state, Gov. Ned Lamont announced a series of grants totaling $6.2 million for cities and towns earlier this week.

The grants are authorized under the state’s Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Programand the Urban Green and Community Garden Program, which are administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and assist local governments, land trusts, and water companies in purchasing land to protect as open space.

"Our administration has set high goals to mitigate the effects of climate change and implement policies that better preserve our air, water, and natural resources,” Governor Lamont said in a news release earlier this week. "This program is an important component of preserving some of the best and most beautiful land in the world, and by partnering with our municipalities and nonprofits we can ensure that these valuable resources are preserved in perpetuity for generations to come."

One of the beneficiaries of the grants is the Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens, located at 151 Brookdale Rd. in Stamford. The arboretum will receive a $175,000 grant, which will contribute to the construction of a 2,400 square foot open air pavilion adjacent to the Silver Educational Center.

The pavilion, which would hold up to 200 people, will be open to the public and will be accessible to educational groups like the Boys/Girls Scouts, the UCONN Master Gardener’s program, and other community groups. It will also be available for weddings, and could be used for Bartlett's summer concert series if there's inclement weather.

The pavilion will have ADA accessible ramps leading to the main platform from both the main road and the Silver Educational Facility that provides access to restroom facilities. Picnic tables for the pavilion have been designed to accommodate wheelchair access. The hope is to use the space for spring, summer and fall.

"This is extremely exciting," said Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens CEO, Jane von Trapp, who noted that her director of development applied for the grant in 2020. "As a result of COVID and how everyone's been cooped up for the past year, we stayed open and became a respite for many people in the area, including many from other places because a lot of parks were closed. When this opportunity came up to build an open air pavilion, it seemed like a natural fit."

The City of Stamford owns the project site and the Bartlett Arboretum Association is responsible for managerial and operations oversight through a lease agreement with the City. Stamford put up $100,000 for the project this year, and Bartlett will have to match the $175,000 grant amount. They'll have two years to build the pavilion.

"I am extremely pleased with Governor Lamont's decision to include Stamford's Bartlett Arboretum in the state's Urban Green and Community Garden Grant Program. The City is also supporting this project and the additional state funding will help make it a reality," said Stamford Mayor David Martin. "I'm excited for Stamford to have another outdoor venue where people can come together and spend time in nature."

The idea for the pavilion had been talked about for a long time, von Trapp said, but it was never high on the priority list when the arboretum went before the City of Stamford for capital requests each year. But the pandemic changed that.

"We all have been changed one way or another by this pandemic, and I think that people are more apt to gather in large groups if they have ventilation and open air. I think it's going to be a while before people forget, and maybe they will never forget. I think it's going to be a wonderful place," von Trapp said. "I think it's the type of thing people are going to be drawn to."

Construction could begin by the end of winter in 2022, von Trapp says, but it all depends on a number of factors. Lumber prices have jumped as a result of the pandemic, and it's becoming increasingly hard to find contractors.

"Construction would start at the end of winter as soon as we feel the costs are more reasonable and that our dollars will stretch more," von Trapp said. "We need to find somebody who is a good representation [of what we want] and will care about what they do and help us with construction."

The pavilion will be made out of sustainable materials.

For more information on the Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens, click here.