Friends Of Riverside Vows To Keep Promise

Opponents of a sale that would have halved the size of won a narrow victory at November’s election, and on Tuesday they promised to continue their mission of preserving and maintaining the site.

Friends of Riverside held a gathering at the park’s amphitheater on Tuesday afternoon to announce the formation of The Friends of Riverside Conservancy Inc., a formal organization recognized by the state of Connecticut. The group also announced that its first project will be to repair a staircase leading down to the park from .

“Through the hard work of hundreds of volunteers over the past year and by the vote of the people, Friends of Riverside kept its promise and these 18 lovely wooded acres where we stand now on the banks of the Thames River belongs to this and all future generations of New Londoners,” said Kathleen Mitchell, who served as chairman of the Friends of Riverside political action committee. “We also promised that we would continue our commitment to the preservation, maintenance and improvement of Riverside Park.”

The proposed sale would have deeded 9.14 acres of the park to the for $2.9 million, leaving a parcel of 9.44 acres to the city. The measure was defeated in a narrow vote, with 2,098 against and 2,079, and the result came about only after a recount determined that .

Mitchell said the organization plans to continue maintenance activities such as park cleanups as well as regular events. Several of these took place last year, including a and the first annual .

The goal of the stairway restoration, said Mitchell, will be to encourage a greater connection of the park to both Winthrop School students and the neighboring community. She said the stairway will allow easier access to students at the school and greater incorporation of the park into its curriculum. Winthrop School is scheduled to become a .

Ronna Stuller, a former Board of Education member, said the STEM program at Winthrop School was one of the reasons she favored keeping the park at its current size. She said donations to Friends of Riverside came from all portions of the city.

“I want to point out that nearly every donor was a small donor,” she said. “We had no one giving thousands of dollars or even hundreds of dollars.”

Mirna Martinez, who ran for the Board of Education as a Green Party candidate, said she thought an improved stairway will allow more visible community access to the park.

“It’s great to solidify the preservation of the park, that there’s a group engaged and looking out for the interests of the people and the park,” she said.

Wayne Vendetto, a board member with The Friends of Riverside Conservancy, said the new organization will allow for grant applications as well as a volunteer base to help shoulder some of the maintenance responsibility for the park. He said the organization is currently applying for tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status, and that he personally hopes to see improvements such as a dog park and improved trails.

“I think it was important just to convey the message that we have not forgotten what the promise was,” said Vendetto.