Berlin Opens Space on Chamberlain Highway for Public Use

From the Town of Berlin: Berlin Mayor Mark Kaczynski and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Rob Klee will host a ceremony on May 3 at 4:30 PM to mark the completion of the initial trail work on the recently acquired former Chotkowski property on Chamberlain Highway and to officially “open” the property for public use. The Chotkowski property can be accessed from a small parking lot on Chamberlain Highway just south of Southington Road or alternative parking and access is available at from contiguous Town open space properties, Hatchery Brook Conservation Area, Kensington Orchards and Bicentennial Park. The 71.1-acre property provides a key link between the Town’s Hatchery Brook Conservation Area, Kensington Orchards and Bicentennial Park creating an interconnected open space area of over 500 acres. The open space areas now extend across the block in both directions; from Chamberlain Highway to Kensington Road and from Orchard Road to Norton Road. The Town purchased the property in 2015 with the support of a $500,000 grant from the State of Connecticut’s Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Program and with the help and support of the Berlin Land Trust. Since the purchase of the site the Town has been working on implementing a management plan for the property including creation of trails and soil mixing and signage to address soil conditions in some areas of the site that were degraded by past agricultural uses. Planned soil mixing is complete, trails have been created and modified and signage placed so that the property is now ready for public use.

“The land that is being protected today provides ample opportunities for visitors to enjoy nature while hiking on the trails through the former Chotkowski Farm,” said Robert Klee, Commissioner, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. “We appreciate the Chotkowski family’s commitment to land preservation and conservation that ensures that the land is protected for future generations.”

“The opening of the Chotkowski property to the public use is very significant milestone because it completes the long planned connection of multiple Town open space areas to create an area with 7 miles of hiking trails. Residents have reported an impressive range of wildlife sightings that demonstrate that the property also serves an important function in protection of habitats. I give special thanks to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for their continuing assistance to the Town for the conservation of open space lands to help preserve Berlin’s rural heritage and to preserve open space lands for public enjoyment, ” said Mayor Kaczynski.

Image via Shutterstock