Stephen Hildrich, Esq., gave a talk to an appreciative crowd of church members, community members and interested citizens regarding the long process toward creating an easement to preserve and protect the shoreline acreage near and around Savin Rock. Steve is the founder of both the Concerned Citizens for Bradley Point in 1979, which was crucial in creating the Bradley Point Park, and the Land Trust of West Haven, Inc in 1991.
Hildrich noted that Redevelopment started in 1966, with a specific plan in 1968 and open opposition beginning in 1971, and continued with many peoples assistance for several decades. He had collated, as noted by Dan Shine, “a large and detailed compendium of articles, letters and documents which chronicle” the 40-year struggle to preserve public land for recreation and enjoyment instead of Redevelopment. During his presentation which was enthusiastically received,
He presented the 450-page documentary history notebooks to a number of organizations, which have been important in saving the current land for public enjoyment, and to libraries..
Hildrich gifted the documentary history notebooks to a number of individuals and organizations present including the West Haven Land Trust given to Renny Loisel and Marilyn Wilkes, past and current presidents of the West Haven Land Trust, John Lewis, West Haven City Clerk for the City of West Haven, the Rev. E. Carl Howard for the First Congregational Church, Bill Heffernan and Lenny Adams current and incoming presidents of the West Haven Village Improvement Association, and Village Improvement member Bill Lang for the West Haven Public Libraries, one for the Main branch and a second for Ora Mason Library, and to Susan Walker, president of the West Haven Historical Society for the West Haven Historical Society, and a representative for the West Haven High School Library. At a later time a copy will be presented to the Librarian of the Yale School of Environmental Studies and to Dan Shine, West Haven Voice Historian.
A reception followed the event.
Thank you, Bill Riccio and the West Haven Voice. I hope others will learn what a long and difficult struggle it was to create our beautiful shoreline parks: The Bradley Point (Veterans Memorial) Park and the Old Grove Park, protected forever (by God’s Grace) by the Land Trust of West Haven.