Dear Friend,
The construction continues this spring, but the park will be open. Currently, softball fields 1,2,5 and 6 are being groomed. Roberto Clemente Field and Johnny Taylor Field will be open as April 25th. To see images of both projects, please go to facebook.com/coltparkfoundation. The new soccer fields will not be open until later in the summer. But the youth soccer field, Vintage baseball and the three football/soccer fields are available for use. The East Entrance (Hendrixcsen/Maseek) is well underway. There is a pedestrian entrance on Curcombe or you can go through Kinsella School to enter the park. The pavilion and walkway along Stonington are TBD and a fustsal court is being designed to refurbish the old skating rink. Deconstruction an old, ugly, rusty fence along the sidewalk between Stonington Street and Morris Street Ext. has been removed. An old, ugly, weedy fence between the new Taylor baseball field and soccer fields was removed as well.
Colt Park Friends transitioning to becoming a foundation. Our mission is to promote a safe and healthy environment, preserve its natural appearance, enhance its active and passive use, and to increase public and private support for the enjoyment and betterment of the park by city and area residents. By becoming a foundation, we will be able to raise funding to support improvements and maintenance of Colt Park. Last fall we planted over 500 daffodils in the park at several locations for the Hope Gardens. Recently, we raised monies for some trees, installed a Free Little Library on the pool fence as well as a temporary StoryWalk which the Hartford Public Library has lent us.
This spring and summer there will be Park Ambassadors staff by the Recreation Division on Saturdays and Sundays between 12pm-6pm starting Sunday, April 18th. Don’t miss “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” on April 22nd between 12 -2 pm Earth Day by the playscape. You need to register on MyRec for a kite to build or a airplane. Go to hartfordct.myrec.com. The Amigos Softball Leagues’ Opening Day will be on April 25th at 11 AM. The pools will be opening on a staggered schedule, the date is TBD. You will need to register for this as well due to Covid protocols.
We are planning a grand reopening event in Colt Park in early October. We hope to do it earlier, but that will depend on when the construction projects are completed.
Donna Swarr
Colt Park Foundation, Chair