Brookfield Parks Renovation Project: Yay or Nay?

On Tuesday, Sept. 17, Brookfield residents will take to the polls to vote on a $5.3 million bond package for renovations to Town Park Beach and the adjacent Cadigan Fields.


If you were voting on the proposal today, how would you vote and why? We asked Brookfield Patch readers for their thoughts and here's what they had to say. 

"I think we need to focus more on the four corners project" — Rick Costa

"The best thing you can do for 4 corners is boot the riff raff out. Thats why we have police. We need a serious overhaul of the buildings at the lake. I do think surveys should be put out to parents for input into fields/parks etc that will be for children to use. I'm glad our town is having this conversation about when and how and where we spend out money." — Nicole Monegan Keating

"Parks need to be done ... They are falling apart....The children of our community need to have things to do and places to go. I also believe they should reconsider the design.. They should add little league/softball complex similar to that of Bethel's located near Big Y .. The kids fields are a disgrace compared to the surrounding towns." — Mike Heck

Would you change anything about the plan? What would you keep the same?

"Multi-use building on the beach side should only be bathrooms, concession, guard/safety facility and storage. No public gathering areas. The large building takes up picnic and play areas. The amount of use it could possibly receive during the very short access season does not justify the size building designed.
Encouraging public gatherings in that area increases the traffic across the very dangerous Candlewood Lake Road. The entire value of the grant is being spent on 1 building. The monies should be able to be spread further than that.
The white color of the buildings is very obtrusive, it should blend with the surroundings as it is a park." — Ronnie Erdmann 

The Cost

"I just believe that the children of Brookfield do have a lot of great places to play already. If we could spruce them up, great. But 5.3 million for renovations is absurd. The four corners project could lend an opportunity for children and adults to spend time together outside too, according to the plans. We could also concentrate that money on reviving our craft center."  — Rick Costa

The full project costs total $5.3 million, however the town also has a $750,000 state grant to cover reconstruction of the multi-purpose building, bringing the net cost to taxpayers to $4.55 million.

Will the parks project have a ripple effect?