The vision of a recreational trail stretching from Preston to Bluff Point in Groton has encountered a major impasse in the form of the Groton City Council, which has authority over the Groton Utilities reservoir property.

The council apparently has no interest in opening the city-owned land to the public.

The Tri-Town Trail Committee, created to study the feasibility of the contiguous recreational trail, has long considered the reservoir property to be an important, if not vital link in the 14-mile trail project.

It was for this reason that committee members worked with state lawmakers this spring to pass legislation that limits the liability of private landowners who make property accessible to the public for recreational uses.

Turns out that was only one of several concerns city and water utility officials have with regard to opening its land to the public.

“We received a letter (from the Tri-Town Trail Committee) that said they wanted to have an audience with us,” said Groton City Councilor Keith Hedrick. “They felt things had changed and they wanted to present reasons why we should open the reservoir property to pedestrian traffic.”

At a recent City Council meeting, however, Hedrick said Mayor Marian Galbraith asked members for a motion to invite the committee to make its presentation. “There was no motion,” he said.

Protecting the water supply 

“Job number one for us is to protect the reliability and quality of the water supply that we deliver to our customers,” said Groton Utilities Director Paul Yatco, who had made his concerns known to the council. “We are charged with the stewardship of that water supply, and that comes before anything else.”

Yatco said he is especially concerned about water contamination by “sabotage, malicious mischief or accident.” But he listed a number of potential issues, including police and fire access in the event of an emergency, sanitation and trash collection, trail maintenance and parking.

“All cost money and all have an environmental impact,” he said. “There is a management issue that needs to be addressed before you would ever let anyone have recreational access to that property.”

“The concern I had going into this was the protection of that asset,” Hedrick said. “Once you’re allowed into that property, you could go anywhere.”

He said no doubt most people who use the trail would be respectful of the environment and would never leave trash behind. “But not everyone who goes in there would be that way,” he said.

He added that the city's insurance consultant advised against the plan.

“I understand why people would want to walk along the reservoir,” he said. “I just feel that clean drinking water is more important than being able to walk along the water and enjoy the view.”

Not just a lobbying group

Tri-Town Trail Committee Chairman David Holdridge said the committee was created by a resolution passed in Preston, Ledyard and the Town of Groton, and includes members from those towns and the City of Groton.

“We’re not just another lobbying group,” Holdridge said. “We were appointed by the three towns to do a feasibility study, and we wish we could have been there to participate in the discussion.”

Holdridge said part of the study looked at how other municipalities in the state manage their reservoir properties. New Haven, for example, allows public access to its water supply, he said. “They even allow boats. We weren’t asking for that.”

Holdridge said clean water and public access are not mutually exclusive.

“There are ways to meet the needs of both interests,” he said. “We really would like to discuss with the City of Groton exactly what the issues are, because there may be ways to answer their concerns.”

Hedrick, however, was not optimistic about that discussion taking place. At least for now, he said, “I think the councilors are done with the matter.” 

The Tri-Town Trail Committee was in the process of applying for a grant to help finance construction of the trail. Asked if it was possible for the project can go forward without access to the reservoir land, Holdridge said it was possible.

“There are alternative routes that have been identified, but there also are disadvantages,” he said. “One of the disadvantages is that it will cost more money.”