New Britain herald., 1928-07-06
N0R70NS PRESENT
PLA|NVILLE PARK
Father and Daughter Give 60
Acres Of Land to Town
Especial to the Herald)

its first public park were made pub
lie last night at meeting of the
Chamber of commerce. and the
chamber voted to recommend that
the town accept the offer, which has
been made by Charles H. Norton
and his daughter. Elizabeth H. Nor
ton. of Redstone hill.
The land. situated in the south
western part of the town, contains
what is thought to be the largest re-
naming stretch of the century-old
New Haven't Northampton canal, for
the restoration of which portion
Mr., Norton has further offered ST.
500. Cooperating with the Nortons
in the gift of the canal will be Mrs.
Barbara Hoerle. who is joint owner
and who has agreed to give her por-
ton.
Provision is made by Mr.. Norton
that the canal be restored within a
year after the town accepts the
tract. which is highly diversified as
to physical character. and that the
town make small yearly appropri-
alton for the improvement OF the
park.
Henry Trumbull. chairman OF the
public utilities committee of the
chamber, presented. at last nights
meeting. a recommendation from
his committee. This was approved
by the chamber, and the acceptance
of the land was recommended to
this morning that they would call
a town meeting to act on the matter
within the next three or four weeks,
in order that. If certain action at
that meeting is BILE, a small
a preparation may be included in
the budget for the coming year.
The full details of Mr.. Norton's
offer are embodied In the following
letter addressed to the selectmen:
TO the selectmen of Plainville:
MY daughter and have for
long time realized the fact that
Plainville had no public park-no
community gathering place for ath-
letics, picnics, nor pageants: no
place where could be secured for
the future an out-of-door place of
beauty and public enjoyment for
our children or our children's chill
dren.
I've can think OF no other place
in Plainville so we'll provided by
nature for park purposes as the
land belonging to us through which
runs some 1850 feet of the old
New Haven and Northampton canal,
This stretch Of canal is we'll sup
piled with water the year round.
be restored. Proha bly, there is no.
where in Connecticut so long a strip
of canal where could be preserved
as a historic relic such an example
of the early methods of transporta-
ton in our state. The restored
strip OF water could be used for
and skating, and 1t would
be easy to widen and deepen a
place for a bathing pool. We can
also vision a, miniature canal boat, |
in the not far distant future. drawn
by pony for the delight of the chill
dren OF the town.
Would Restore Canal
I'VE own approximately SO acres
which We believe hold great posi-
billties for a public park. The
land is diversified by hills. woods.
small groves, and about % acres of |
fiat. open ground. There is
a place near the old canal where
by the appropriation OF few
thousand dollars. there could be
created a lake about 500 feet long
and10o feet wide. Near the canal
is a never failing, bubbling spring.
which has been used by the chill
dren of more than one generation i
for drinking water. We can vision
this spring covered and beautifled
for drinking fountain. There is
On the property an old barn, for
merly used for slaughter house. !
the framework of which is in ex-
cellent condition. This barn could
be moved to suitable position and
rebuilt, or transferred into a shell
Lti VI
We have employed a civil en-
sineer to survey this property and
make map of it: and he has on
he map suggested the future posi-
,llties mentioned His drawing
shows driveway in and around the
park and through the
woods on the south of the area.
There would be considerably over a
nile of driveway. He finds in the
whole plot little more than s91s
lcres
1T is our desire to present this
property to the town OF Plainville
or legitimate park purposes; also
o present to the town 6o-foot
from Redstone Hill
through our property directly into
he proposed park. We offer this
vide drive into the park from Red
tone Hill because of the beautiful
lew at that point There is now
30-foot entrance from Washing
on street: and eventually Robert
White will make an avenue from
Sroad street into the proposed
,ark
This property with outlines and
boundaries is shown on map made
" Mr.. McKernan.
About ZOO feet Of the canal is
'wned Jointly by Mrs. Barbara
1oerle and myself. She authorizes