News
on Jonah Center
Projects
The Future of South Cove
On December 13, 2012, Middletown's Director of Planning, Conservation, and Development, William Warner, made a presentation to the Jonah Center community on issues affecting redevelopment of this key area of Middletown's waterfront.
The area known as South Cove comprises the waterfront area just downriver from Harbor Park (upper left corner of photo), along both sides of River Road between Union Street and Eastern Drive.
You can download a pdf version of Mr. Warner's slideshow by clicking here: http://www.middletownplanning.com/documents/RiverfrontPresentation2012final.pdf
South Church Shares Beth Atkin's Bequest
Thanks to the generous and community-minded spirit of South Congregational Church, in September 2012 the Jonah Center received a gift of $4000 from a bequest made to the church by Beth Atkin. Beth was an avid nature-lover, bird-watcher, and protector of animals, so we will honor her life and memory through our ongoing programs to help people appreciate and to protect wildlife habitat. Pictured here are some members of the congregation, including some from its Earth Ministry group, along with John Hall. South Church also shared a portion of the Beth Atkin bequest with Literacy Volunteers and the Shepherd Home.
Ecoin Meets LED Exit Light Goal
Middletown's Environmental Collective Impact Network (Ecoin) has surpassed its first goal, resulting in a positive, measurable outcome for the environment: to retrofit at least 50 incandescent 40 watt exit lights with high efficiency 4 watt LED exit lights. Ecoin actually delivered 86 of these energy efficient exit signs at no cost to local businesses and nonprofits, thanks to a $1,200 granted from the City of Middletown's Clean Energy Task Force.
The reduced environmental impact of these 86 LED exit lights represents $4,068 worth of electricity per year, the equivalent of removing 3.7 average cars from the road or reducing gasoline combustion by 2,097 gallons per year.
For more information on Ecoin, see news item below.
Construction of Canoe & Kayak Launch Begins – September 2012
After a long process that began in 2005, Middletown's Department of Public Works recently broke ground on the access path to the proposed canoe and kayak launch on the Coginchaug River. The past 7 years have involved a grant application, multiple site selections, budgeting, city approvals, DEEP verbal approvals, more site negotiations, formal DEEP permitting, much waiting, and dozens of meetings. The project is funded by a $50,000 U.S. Dept. of Transportation grant that the Jonah Center for Earth and Art secured on behalf of the City in 2007. To read the full story, click http://middletowneyenews.blogspot.com/2012/09/construction-of-middletown-canoe-kayak.html
Proposed Middletown Bikeway
The Jonah Center is the "Project Advocate" for a $800,000 federal grant application to build a $1 million multi-use trail and bikeway. The route would connect downtown Middletown and Wesleyan University with a high density residential area (Wesleyan Hills) and surrounding communities Durham and Middlefield.
On Dec. 21, 2011, Middletown's Common Council approved $200,000 in required matching funds, plus a separate $20,000 appropriation for a professional consultant to help the city design a "Complete Streets and Bikeway Master Plan" for the city. The Jonah Center is involved in the master plan, as well.
To download a pdf of the currently proposed route of the multi-use bikeway, click here.
ECoin Launched – Environmental Collective Impact Network
Building on our success in bringing people and agencies together, the Jonah Center has convened a group of key partners in Middletown that wish to work in mutually reinforcing ways to preserve the natural environment and improve the general quality of life in our city.
Participants are currently prioritizing possible shared goals in the following areas:
- Energy Efficiency
- Open Space & Farm Preservation
- Low Impact Development
- Reducing Use of Lawn Chemicals
- Waste Reduction
- Making Middletown More Bicycle-Friendly
Organizations taking part in the ECoin venture, in addition to the Jonah Center, are:
- The Book Bower
- Connecticut River Coastal Conservation District
- Earth Ministry
-
Middlesex Community College's Sustainability Committee
- Middlesex Land Trust
- Middletown Garden Club
- Middletown's Clean Energy Task Force
- Middletown's Conservation Commission
- Middletown's Recycling Commission and Project Green Lawn
- Middletown's Urban Forestry Commission
- The Rockfall Foundation
- Wesleyan's Department of Health, Safety, & Sustainability
The Liberty Bank Foundation plays a supportive and logistic role, since the idea for an Environmental Collective Impact Network originated at their workshop on the topic in April, 2011.
In November 2011, the Jonah Center received a $1000 grant from the New England Grassroots Environment Fund to support development of the network.
$3000
Grant
In August 2011, The Jonah Center received important continued operations support from Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corporation. This grant enables us to continue our advocacy and education work to preserve and improve access to Middletown's waterways.
Agreement reached on Kayak Launch on North End Penninsula
In October 2010, the City of Middletown agreed to use city-owned land on the North End Peninsula, adjacent to the recycling center and the closed landfill, for construction of a kayak and canoe launch on the Coginchaug River. This project will provide public access from Middletown to the freshwater tidal wetlands known as the “Boggy Meadows” where the Coginchaug and Mattabesset Rivers converge, without requiring paddlers to enter the Connecticut River. The area is known for its rich biodiversity and spectacular scenery.
The trail to the river and boat launch will begin near the entrance to the recycling center (at the north end of Johnson Street, just across the railroad tracks). The trail will follow parallel to the railroad tracks to west (down on the picture) for approximately 500 feet to reach the Coginchaug River next to the railroad bridge. The trail and ramp will be handicapped accessible, with a floating dock at the water’s edge to make kayak launching easier for everyone, including people using wheelchairs.
(Click on picture to enlarge)
The project will be funded largely by a $50,000 federal trails grant, administered by the CT DEP, that the Jonah Center initiated and applied for on behalf of the City in 2006. The Department of Public Works will provide significant in-kind services to prepare the area, including engineering work, brush removal, and grading. The trail will be meander slightly to avoid the need to remove large trees.
Harbor Park Improvement
On April 24, 2010, in cooperation with the Middletown Lions Club and AIC (Alternative to Incarnation Center), Jonah Center and First Church volunteers helped to clean up following spring floods and remove more vines and scrub vegetation from the north end of Harbor Park. This makes the area more appealing for visitors, both from the land and the water, and it helps reconnect the City of Middletown with the Connecticut River.
A few weeks later, Middletown Girl Scout Troop 62161 used some of their proceeds from cookie sales to plant lilies along the fence line as part of their environmental project.
From all such efforts during the past 2 years, residents are now using Harbor Park more and its true historical length is more visible from the river.
$3000
Grant
In May 2010, The Jonah Center received important operations support from Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corporation. This grant enables us to continue our advocacy and education work to preserve and improve access to Middletown’s waterways.
Jonah Center’s Advocacy Results in Parking Lot Improvements and Cost Savings at Palmer Field
In May 2008, President Barry Chernoff and Executive Director John Hall testified before Middletown’s Inland Wetlands Commission, urging improvements to the proposed parking lot construction at Palmer Field. Specific recommendations included reduction of pavement area, retention of storm water run off, and a vegetated buffer to mitigate the parking lot’s negative impact on the adjacent Coginchaug River which had already suffered from recent development projects. The parking lot project is now complete, with the results of the Jonah Center’s intervention clearly shown in the photos to the left.
Top photo: Original plan included 4.0 acres of asphalt paving, extending very close to the bank of the Coginchaug River. Run off from pavement is very harmful to aquatic life.
Middle photo: Middletown’s Inland Wetlands Commission ordered a revised plan, reducing the area of pavement to 1.3 acres and including a 40 foot vegetated buffer between the parking area and the river, sub-surface storm water retention basin, pervious gravel parking of 1.7 acres for overflow parking on rare occasions when needed. The revised plan also yielded a $100,000 cost reduction for the city.
Bottom photo: A view of the vegetated buffer, which includes 70 trees and shrubs, and the gravel parking area at right. The Coginchaug River is just down the hill to the left,
A Video Tour of the Landfill
In May 2008,
Wesleyan students
Eric Bissell, Lesley Chapman, Zev Frank, and Amanda Herrera made a
video tour of the landfill as part of the “Feet to the Fire” program:
The trail to the river and boat launch will begin near the entrance to the recycling center (at the north end of Johnson Street, just across the railroad tracks). The trail will follow parallel to the railroad tracks to west (down on the picture) for approximately 500 feet to reach the Coginchaug River next to the railroad bridge. The trail and ramp will be handicapped accessible, with a floating dock at the water’s edge to make kayak launching easier for everyone, including people using wheelchairs.