# Agency helps Connecticut towns realize a long-time dream

/ Published Dec. 16, 2015
Groton, Connecticut, 
For more than half a century, the historicConnecticut cities of Groton and New London have imagined a unified watertaxi-based attraction to draw visitors to their adjacent interest points along theThames River.

Dubbed the “Thames River HeritagePark,” the plan would help visitors to shuttle conveniently between the easternand western banks and visit the forthcoming National Coast Guard Museum, USSNautilus, Submarine Force Museum, Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park andother sites, according to public planning documents.

The park coalition said it usedtemporary boats as a test run during the summer of 2014 and members wereencouraged enough by the resulting passenger numbers to pursue a long-termsolution. But the goal remained elusive. 

“We haven’t given up on our search,”Groton Mayor Marian Galbraith said back in April. According to the local MysticRiver Press, the effort was halted once again before summer after the lonewater taxi company that provided a project bid ultimately failed to meet CoastGuard requirements.

A project board member with Navy ties caughtwind of the availability of some Navy utility craft stored in Virginia thatwere being readied for disposition. Groton’s DLA Disposition Services’ sitesupervisor Dennis Dowling met with local Navy officials and project members todiscuss options. 

“We told them that we couldn’t show anyfavoritism, but we helped them understand the process; we wanted to give themthe best chance possible to get the boats,” Dowling said of the longshotacquisition. “We made sure they all knew that Groton would be way down the42-day [reuse, transfer and donation] schedule.”

The four utility craft were finallyposted, and as expected, a law enforcement agency claimed them. Luckily forGroton, however, the New Jersey-based police force that claimed the craftultimately decided to take a pass on two of the vessels after examination,deciding they were not an ideal fit for their mission. The boats returned tothe donation cycle and eventually fell to Groton, who acquired them through theConnecticut State Surplus Property office’s authority.

“Everyone we have worked with ... hasbeen fabulous all along the way and has been enthusiastic about our success inacquiring the boats,” said Galbraith.

“It was a pretty good team effort,”Dowling said, citing the close communication between disposition personnel inBattle Creek, Norfolk and Groton.

“The water taxi servicehas always been seen as vital to the success of the park. Certainly, theexisting historical assets would still be open, but the park leverages theminto one cohesive park experience,” Galbraith said. “The park idea is actuallydecades old. It never came to fruition because of the lack of a water taxiservice and a visitor center. We issued an earlier [contract] for an operator,expecting someone to come forward with boats. We were unsuccessful. With thearrival of the boats there is renewed interest from potential operators.” 

The vessels are valued together atabout $275,000 and arrived in a New London boat yard via tractor trailer Nov.30. According to Dowling, the boats are in “great condition, previously kept inan environmentally-controlled space” and have completely rebuilt engines withonly a couple hours of use between them. After the engines are depreserved, thecity will conduct a marine survey to ensure Coast Guard standards are met andcontract operation of the water taxi service, Galbraith said.

The planning group’s goal is to havethe water taxis ready for operation during the 2016 summer tourist season. Moreinformation on the project can be found at www.thamesriverheritagepark.org.