Latest news with #NewLondoners
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fees for New London rec center will give breaks to residents, needy families
New London — The City Council on Monday will discuss and possibly approve membership fees for the new recreation/community center that will offer price breaks to residents and low-income families. The draft rates are broken down by resident and non-resident status, as well as by age. For example, a New London resident between the ages of 23-60 — the demographic most expected to use the $40 million facility on the Fort Trumbull peninsula — will pay $45 a month compared to a non-resident fee of $57. Other membership rates cover children younger than 18 ($20 for residents, $27 for non-resident); young adults ($25, $32); seniors ($40, $52); and a household package ($100, $125). City and school district employees would pay $36 a month under the proposal. Early enrollees will not be charged one-time initiation fees that range from $10 to $65, depending upon age and residency. The fees were set by the Power Wellness firm, which was hired to oversee the center, after conversations with city recreation and other department heads, Felix Reyes, the city's director of planning and economic development, said Wednesday. Reyes said membership rates, which he said are about 20% lower than comparable offerings in the area, are largely based on two overriding concerns: Making the center self-sustaining ahead of its third year of operation and ensuring all residents — regardless of their financial situation — can use the facility. Price breaks Reyes said the decision to give residents a price break was done out of a sense of fairness. 'The taxpayers are already funding the center's construction, and we wanted to give them a favorable rate,' he said. 'Our other intent was to prioritize access, especially for those families in financial hardship.' The city will also create a scholarship fund, similar to one currently used to subsidize recreation department programming, that will cut membership rates in half for eligible families. 'How can we afford to do that? By appealing to corporations and small businesses for sponsorships,' Reyes said, adding scholarship eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Recreation Director Joshua Posey said currently families who can't afford the full fee for recreation programming, such as summer camp, can fill out an assistance form similar to the one the new center will use. 'We do ask for some forms of income, but those families can get up to 50% off the cost of a program,' he said. 'And there's been times when that's still not enough and we'll work to give a bit more off.' Posey said on average 60 families a year qualify for some level of financial assistance, with about 90% qualifying for the half-off fee. 'I'd say the majority are single-parent households with two or more kids,' he said. In Monday letter to the council, Reyes explained why New Londoners, as residents of a distressed city, aren't getting free access. 'It is crucial to recognize that affordability does not mean the absence of a cost structure,' he wrote. 'Community memberships are essential for maintaining our facility, enhancing financial sustainability and fostering engagement among residents.' Membership goals and getting there Power Wellness has set a membership goal of signing up 1,400 non-discounted members before the center opens, with an estimated 5,000 total members needed to keep it financially stable. The center is expected to generate additional revenue by renting out conference rooms, its gym and other spaces, as well as by providing personal training, swim lessons and other programming. The facility, which will house a two-court gym, fitness center and eight-lane pool, along with office and community space, is scheduled to host an opening ceremony before July 4 and fully open to the public later that month. The city's recreation department will also have offices inside the new center and will run some of its programming from the site. The majority of construction is set to be complete in April, the same month Power Wellness is slated to roll out its on-line membership link. In-person enrollment will be available inside the Chamber of Commerce's Regional Innovation Center on Eugene O'Neill Drive in mid-April. Reyes said his office has worked out an agreement with the Southeastern Connecticut Transit District to add a new bus stop near the recreation center. He said the city's SmartRide system, a public ride-hailing option, is also available to visitors seeking to get to the center. 'We're also talking with the school administration about buses taking students to the center after school,' he said. 'One of the biggest asks we get is about having a place for kids to go while their parents work. The recreation department plans to have after-school programming, including homework and mentorship areas and open play.' The City Council will meet at 7 p.m., Monday at City Hall.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fees for New London rec center will give breaks to residents, needy families
New London — The City Council on Monday will discuss and possibly approve membership fees for the new recreation/community center that will offer price breaks to residents and low-income families. The draft rates are broken down by resident and non-resident status, as well as by age. For example, a New London resident between the ages of 23-60 — the demographic most expected to use the $40 million facility on the Fort Trumbull peninsula — will pay $45 a month compared to a non-resident fee of $57. Other membership rates cover children younger than 18 ($20 for residents, $27 for non-resident); young adults ($25, $32); seniors ($40, $52); and a household package ($100, $125). City and school district employees would pay $36 a month under the proposal. Early enrollees will not be charged one-time initiation fees that range from $10 to $65, depending upon age and residency. The fees were set by the Power Wellness firm, which was hired to oversee the center, after conversations with city recreation and other department heads, Felix Reyes, the city's director of planning and economic development, said Wednesday. Reyes said membership rates, which he said are about 20% lower than comparable offerings in the area, are largely based on two overriding concerns: Making the center self-sustaining ahead of its third year of operation and ensuring all residents — regardless of their financial situation — can use the facility. Price breaks Reyes said the decision to give residents a price break was done out of a sense of fairness. 'The taxpayers are already funding the center's construction, and we wanted to give them a favorable rate,' he said. 'Our other intent was to prioritize access, especially for those families in financial hardship.' The city will also create a scholarship fund, similar to one currently used to subsidize recreation department programming, that will cut membership rates in half for eligible families. 'How can we afford to do that? By appealing to corporations and small businesses for sponsorships,' Reyes said, adding scholarship eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Recreation Director Joshua Posey said currently families who can't afford the full fee for recreation programming, such as summer camp, can fill out an assistance form similar to the one the new center will use. 'We do ask for some forms of income, but those families can get up to 50% off the cost of a program,' he said. 'And there's been times when that's still not enough and we'll work to give a bit more off.' Posey said on average 60 families a year qualify for some level of financial assistance, with about 90% qualifying for the half-off fee. 'I'd say the majority are single-parent households with two or more kids,' he said. In Monday letter to the council, Reyes explained why New Londoners, as residents of a distressed city, aren't getting free access. 'It is crucial to recognize that affordability does not mean the absence of a cost structure,' he wrote. 'Community memberships are essential for maintaining our facility, enhancing financial sustainability and fostering engagement among residents.' Membership goals and getting there Power Wellness has set a membership goal of signing up 1,400 non-discounted members before the center opens, with an estimated 5,000 total members needed to keep it financially stable. The center is expected to generate additional revenue by renting out conference rooms, its gym and other spaces, as well as by providing personal training, swim lessons and other programming. The facility, which will house a two-court gym, fitness center and eight-lane pool, along with office and community space, is scheduled to host an opening ceremony before July 4 and fully open to the public later that month. The city's recreation department will also have offices inside the new center and will run some of its programming from the site. The majority of construction is set to be complete in April, the same month Power Wellness is slated to roll out its on-line membership link. In-person enrollment will be available inside the Chamber of Commerce's Regional Innovation Center on Eugene O'Neill Drive in mid-April. Reyes said his office has worked out an agreement with the Southeastern Connecticut Transit District to add a new bus stop near the recreation center. He said the city's SmartRide system, a public ride-hailing option, is also available to visitors seeking to get to the center. 'We're also talking with the school administration about buses taking students to the center after school,' he said. 'One of the biggest asks we get is about having a place for kids to go while their parents work. The recreation department plans to have after-school programming, including homework and mentorship areas and open play.' The City Council will meet at 7 p.m., Monday at City Hall.
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Volunteers in New London look to reclaim Bates Wood Park
New London — New London high school student Galileo Thompson admits to having little experience hiking or being in the woods. It's not my thing," the 16-year-old said, shortly before arming himself with a bow saw and working to cut and free a fallen tree limb entangled in a tent at an abandoned encampment in Bates Woods Park. Despite his aversion to briars and tree roots, Thompson joined more than two dozen others Saturday at the park for what he said he sees as a worthy cause, cleaning up one of the few wooded areas in the city. He was one of a group of volunteers that fanned out into the woods carrying garbage bags rakes, loppers, saws and buckets as part of the quarterly cleanup effort. The cleanup at the city's largest green space was organized by Bates Friends Forever, an all-volunteer group that advocates for the conservation and enhancement of the park. Frida Berrigan, the group's co-founder, said Bates Woods is a great spot for hiking, bird watching and dog walking but unfortunately has very few visitors. She's hoping her group might be able to provide incentives to attract people in. Regular cleanups and hikes are a good way to expose people to the park, she said. "We think the park is amazing and not enough New Londoners know they are allowed in there," Berrigan said. "There's no encouraging signage or maps of this urban woodland." Volunteers at past cleanups filled dozens of garbage bags of trash and hauled out bulky waste that included mattresses and tires. One person pulled an old lawnmower out of the woods during Saturday's trek. Bates Friends Forever, an outgrowth of opposition to the the city's storage of excess construction debris at the capped former landfill adjacent to the park, is now focused on encouraging access. Berrigan said the the effort to mark and name trails has already begun. Her group has applied for grant funding for trail head markers and others things to help encourage residents into the park, which connects to Clark Lane in Waterford. New Londoners Cassady Zipkin and Anthony Zerkow, three young children in tow, joined Saturday's group, in part, as a way to expose their kids to the outdoors. Zerkow said he was also interested in seeing what Bates Woods Park, aside from its pavilions and playgrounds, had to offer. Bates Woods Park, once was home to a zoo, is between 65 and 85 acres depending on who you ask, Berrigan said. Ricardo Pratts, a member of the city's Parks & Recreation Commission, said he's been in the city for 30 years and "never stepped foot into these woods." "Nobody comes back here. But it's truly a beautiful area and our kids are unaware of it, Pratts said. If people felt safe and the place was more inviting, Pratts said he thinks more people might take the opportunity to take a look, especially considering the number of people who live within walking distance and the areas of the city it connects. The park is expected to see more activity in the coming months. The city's Planning and Zoning Commission has approved construction of a 3,000-panel solar farm to be located on the capped former city landfill at the park. The plan awaits approval by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The area is now a meadow bordering the park and Berrigan said while she is in favor of solar power, she remains disappointed in the decision to cover up the green space in what she considers part of Bates Woods. The city recently went out to bid on construction of a new 24-foot wide, 900-foot long driveway to access the former landfill in order to construct the solar array. The driveway is expected to be constructed in part with the construction debris stockpiled by the city at the base of the landfill. For information, visit or email batesfriendsforever@
