Council Approves Sale of Gales Ferry Site

The Ledyard Town Council approved a purchase and sales agreement Wednesday for a portion of the former Gales Ferry School property to G.B. New England 2, LLC., moving yet another step closer to a CVS pharmacy in town.

The contract is for 1.89 acres of the 5.2-acre parcel at 7 Hurlbutt Road. The property fronts Route 12 across from the Ocean State Job Lot shopping center. It does not include the school building.

The price negotiated by the town for the property is $625,000. The council’s action authorized Mayor Fred B. Allyn Jr. to sign the agreement on the town’s behalf.

The council agreed to set a public hearing on the sale for April 13 at 6:45 p.m. A Town Meeting will follow at 7 p.m., at which residents will have a chance to vote on the sale. 

Should voters approve the sale, construction of the drug store still would be subject to Planning and Zoning review. Members of the Economic Development Commission, which negotiated the agreement, are hoping to follow a late spring and summer timeline.

An attempt by Rite Aid to locate in Gales Ferry nearly four years ago encountered several delays en route to regulatory approval. Ultimately, the chain decided not to move forward with the project.

In December, EDC Chairman Stephen Eichelberg said the exterior design of the new store in Gales Ferry would be subject to a "design document," which he described as having a "colonial flavor," similar in appearance to the CVS at Flanders in East Lyme.

The town is soliciting ideas for possible uses of the former school building, part of which is now occupied by the Southeastern Connecticut Regional Resource Recovery Authority.

Babe Ruth field approved

In other town business, the appropriation of up to $60,000 from the Parks and Recreation capital non-recurring fund for construction of a Babe Ruth field and other facilities improvements was unanimously approved by a Town Meeting Wednesday.

John Carrington of the Ledyard Youth League said the new field will ensure that the town's 13-15-year-old ball players have the same opportunity to play as its younger players.