October 29, The Hartford Courant, Don Stacom

The city of Hartford and Riverfront Recapture are eying an ambitious schedule for $7 million of construction to have Batterson Park available to the public again next July, a decade after it was shut down.

The park’s chief feature, a 145-acre pond, won’t reopen for swimming, at least for the foreseeable future. But visitors will be able to use a splash pad, covered picnic pavilions with table and grills, a kayak and canoe launch, a fishing pier, a bird watching tower, a playground and trails through the property, according to design consultants.

“This is more of a passive park: trails, picnic areas, pavilions, a boat launch,” Michael Zaleski, president and chief executive officer of Riverfront Recapture, told a small audience at a Hartford-sponsored public meeting last week to update progress on Batterson.

The nonprofit agency hasn’t signed a contract yet, but the state and the city of Hartford anticipate it will take on day-to-day management of Batterson after the renovation.

The remodeled park won’t have ballfields or other facilities for team sports, large-scale concerts or plays, but will include a large event lawn and parking for about 100 cars, according to the design plan. The new design hasn’t been formally accepted yet, but officials are making presentations this month to show it to residents.

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