Lake Succes located in Remington Woods
Can you imagine New York City without Central Park? Just as New Yorkers see that incredible space as the core of its city’s spirit, there is the possibility that future generations will see Remington Woods as a key to Bridgeport’s soul. Remington Woods can be an important step in the rebirth of Bridgeport and an important asset for all of Fairfield County!
At about half the size of New York's Central Park, Remington Woods is a 422-acre forest in the heart of one of the most densely populated urban centers in the Northeast. This unique parcel of land encompasses a 23-acre lake, hardwood forest, meadows and wetlands including vernal pools.
A whopping 344 acres lie within the borders of Bridgeport and the remaining 78 acres lie within Stratford. Virtually undisturbed since colonial times, Remington Woods is a one-of-a-kind ecosystem -- a large, isolated, contiguous, natural, urban wildlife preserve where Eastern wood turtles, night heron, sparrow hawks, wood ducks, raptors, turkey vultures, amphibians, fresh-water fish, fox, raccoons, deer, and coyote make their home.
Arial view of Remington Woods
Approximately 25 acres of the property were used as an ammunition testing and storage site during the 1930’s and 40’s, and some environmental remediation is required, but Hammonasset State Park in Madison, a former Defense Department artillery range with similar issues, was remediated to residential standards and is now used by thousands of residents each year for recreation and camping!
The possibilities are endless for this rare natural space within the city, but also unlikely if the current path of Bridgeport’s civil servants remains the same. Right now the current owners, Sporting Goods Properties, a subsidiary of DuPont, are in talks with Joe Ganim to develop the land into an industrial park!
DuPont, Bridgeport and Stratford government officials and the Bridgeport Regional Business Council have proposed a large corporate office/industrial development to help drive economic growth in Bridgeport/Stratford.
We propose to protect the land as open space or as a green development to attract tourism.
Since there are many scattered city sites which can respond to economic development, we believe that a huge centralized office proposal is not a needed or an enlightened approach.
On the other hand, capitalizing on the enormous public interest in the environment will add desirable open space and could provide the major tourist attraction currently sought by the State of Connecticut. Also, what an enhancement for Bridgeport/Stratford and Fairfield County such an endeavor would be!
The business/industrial development proposal requires the development of a four-lane highway from I-95 north to the site. Federal Highway Environmental Justice requirements will have to be addressed, costs to the taxpayer will be astronomical and achievement far out.
Most of the employees will be white collars from the suburbs and their commuter traffic hours will put unconscionable stress on I-95 and on Bridgeport’s high air pollution and health problems.
We believe there are better, greener, and more community based ways to increase employment opportunities to Bridgeport/Stratford citizens, and provide natural space to a community which has remarkably little open space, something so valuable a price tag can’t be put on it.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Sign Our Petition!
Currently we are running a petition that is to be presented to the Bridgeport city council on April 17th, 2017, at a City Council Meeting. We are actually close to 1000 signatures, and the current petition is a new one to keep to signatures current. To sign the petition, go here.
Attend the Bridgeport City Council meeting!
Let your voice be heard! We will present the petition at a City Council Meeting on Apr. 17, at 6:00pm @ the Bridgeport City Hall. For more information on attending the City Council meeting, go here.
If you would like to learn more about the history of the land, and some of the issues that lead us to where we are now, you can learn more at one of our sister group’s web site: Friends of Remington Woods. (Disclaimer, some of the information labeled current on this archived page is actually not, and was current during the last City Mayor’s term)
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For some other Media on the Remington Woods:
For a video of the woods click on the picture below
