WILTON – A small committee of residents interested in improving the foot of Wilson Lake met Tuesday evening in the town office, discussing ways to change gravel and mud into green grass and flowers.
Selectman Paul Gooch chaired the informal meeting, which was held to begin bringing more concrete ideas into concepts originally developed by residents Betty Shibles and John Black. Shibles started the community action group when she drove by some empty store windows in downtown Wilton in April 2008 and became concerned. Her work to beautify the community led her to the foot of Wilson Lake.
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That area, which contains a boat launch, Bass Park and popular scenic view across the lake, draws a large number of people, especially in the warmer months.
Shibles began discussing a plan to have school children and residents plant flowers around the foot of the lake with local businesses. John and Corey Black, of Rocky Hill Landscaping, became involved and brought some preliminary concept art for changes which could be made with relatively little expense. These plans were then presented to the selectmen in December 2008, who gave the committee unofficial support to continue planning.
Now, Gooch, Shibles, Black and others are trying to bring those colorful concept drawings into reality.
“My view is we try to get rid of the gravel,” Gooch said, gesturing to a diagram of the parking strip beside the lake. “That’s the only goal I have.”
The basic plan, of which there are several variants, would be to reduce the 230-foot gravel strip next to the lake, which is above the recently-renovated retaining wall, by roughly one third. This would, by the committee’s rough estimates, reduce the number of parking spaces from 20 to 25 spaces down to 10 to 15 spaces.
In turn, a green, park-like area to be planted near the swimming access stairs would be created. That could include flower beds, benches or a picnic table. Then, in front of the parking which remains, curbing and a small strip of green grass would be added.
The goal would be to make the area look a little brighter during the warmer months, help reduce the vehicle contamination which drains through the gravel and into the lake and help control erosion.
“We can help here,” Shibles noted, “there are certain plants that do this.”
Other ideas include some sort of post and chain fencing in front of the swimming access area, signage to limit parking along the lake to attended vehicles and planting low shrubs.
Other aspects of the plan could include offsetting the parking losses by altering the Bass Park area, possibly moving the gazebo and the playground equipment slightly. The committee would like to see additional landscaping in Bass Park done in any case.
The committee is not looking for money from the town, and instead expects to raise the money to complete the project through donations, fundraising and grant money.
Possible unknowns in the general area remain the sections of the retaining wall which have yet to be repaired, a potentially expensive problem to fix. Also, Gooch noted that the state’s Department of Transportation is looking at simply removing the bridge which leads to the boat access point, as part of that agency’s five-year plan. That is something the board of selectmen and town will be looking into in the coming months, Gooch said.
However, the biggest wild card remains the reactions of Wilton residents to the proposal. While most have been supportive of at least some of the proposals, others have complained that the committee is altering a piece of the town which many currently enjoy in its current state.
Gooch noted that some of those people who “pilloried” the committee after preliminary plans were announced, were not at Tuesday evening’s meeting.
“Most of the people who are complaining the loudest about this,” Gooch said, “aren’t here tonight. And they were specifically invited.”
The committee will continue meeting and trying to firm up plans. The meetings are open to the public.
