The funding will allow for major renovations to the park’s main pavilion, among other upgrades.
“Sherwood Island is Connecticut’s first state park and is visited by hundreds of thousands of park goers every year,” Malloy said in a statement. “It is also home to the state’s 9/11 Memorial and therefore has a special place in the state park system. The main pavilion has not seen any major renovations in nearly 25 years and is showing its age.”
The main pavilion was originally built in 1961. The funding being requested will allow the Department of Construction Services, in conjunction with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), to install a new roof on the pavilion along with solar panels for electricity and hot water.
The plumbing and bathroom facilities will also be updated, upgrades will be made to the concession area, and necessary site landscaping will be completed.
“Sherwood Island has a special meaning not only for Westport, but for everyone in Connecticut,” State Representative Gail Lavielle (R-Norwalk, Westport, Wilton) said in a statement. “As our oldest state park, it has long been an ideal spot for enjoying our shoreline landscape. As the home of the 9/11 Memorial, it has also become a discrete and special place for remembrance and reflection. It is important that we maintain Sherwood Island’s unique facilities so that everyone can continue to enjoy them.”
The Bond Commission meeting will be held on Friday, May 30 in Hartford.
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