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Aug. 12--MADISON -- A design plan for the town's 42-acre Griswold Airport site is expected to cost about $750,000.
The Ad Hoc Madison Park and Development Committee has started to consider preliminary plans for the property, purchased in May for $9.7 million.
"Given the amount of money spent to acquire the land, we have to be thrifty about the design and implementation of things in the park," said committee Chairman George McManus. "We have to be mindful to come up with a modest proposal that allows people to use the park and preserve the natural resources while staying within the budget." The committee has discussed some type of commercial development that could generate some revenue. The committee should have a proposal for the park by next spring, McManus said.
The committee meets the fourth Thursday of every month to get feedback from residents. The next meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Town Campus. The committee is also having an open house at the site from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 28 and Sept. 11.
"Now that the property is owned by the town, people who hadn't had a chance to see it before can walk around on it for the first time," said McManus. "They can imagine what it's going to be like as a completed park -- that will make the design better."
Town officials want at least three athletic fields and open space. The committee is considering a few multipurpose fields and a baseball field. The committee is also considering turning the old sea plane launch by the river into a ramp for canoes and kayaks.
Also under consideration are fitness and nature trails. The town shellfish commission is looking to get access to the river for a shellfish restoration facility.
"We need to first focus on demolition of structures, as well as some environmental evaluation," said Town Engineer Mike Ott. "We are several months away from that. We need to wait until the committee has reviewed all of the options."
Many of the old buildings have to be torn down, but not all of them.
"We have to decide what structures are worth keeping, and what potential uses we can get out of them," said McManus. "It's a slow and deliberate process, but we want to get it right."
McManus said a building could be used as a museum with artifacts from the airport days, or as a public facility.
A sign designating the airport land as town property will be installed within a few weeks.
