Visiting local “brownfields”—contaminated former industrial sites—that are being turned into parks is one step toward figuring out what the future could hold for Six Lakes. So, members of the Six Lakes Park Coalition steering committee did just that this fall.  

A community bus tour and meeting were held in early October at what is now called Lake Success in Bridgeport and Stratford. You may have heard this property referred to in the past as “Remington Woods” because its former owner was the gun and munitions manufacturer Remington. Six Lakes was owned by competitor Winchester—but that’s not all these properties have in common. Both are forested wetlands contaminated by the by-products of munitions manufacturing and testing. Both are large parcels of open space in the midst of urban areas designated by the state as environmental justice communities. Both are being cleaned up and repurposed as a result of grassroots advocacy. 

But there are also some differences. Lake Success is roughly four times the size of Six Lakes, at 419 acres. Also unlike Six Lakes, this property has already been under remediation for six years and is nearing the end of its cleanup. And, importantly, its current owner, Corteva Agriscience (a combination of the agricultural businesses of Dow and DuPont), is putting together a plan to sell it. Corteva’s vision involves leasing approximately 50 acres, where polluted soil has been capped, for the installation of solar arrays and batteries and conserving the rest of the property—approximately 369 acres—as open space. The idea is that the renewable energy lease will generate enough income for the property’s eventual owner to cover the costs of maintenance and security for the entire parcel. In response to the community’s wishes, plans also include the construction of a Natural Science Center that will “offer visitors an educational and immersive experience with the region’s wildlife and forest ecosystem.” 

A guided bus tour through the property gave SLPC members a glimpse of 23-acre Lake Success, restoration areas where native plantings are thriving, and a roadway through a thickly forested area—perhaps the largest in any urban space in New England. The presentation that followed gave members of the community, DEEP, and the EPA an update on the progress of remediation and restoration efforts. 

“I love the fact that Corteva has made a commitment to do these public tours once a year,” said steering committee member Justin Farmer, who was on the tour. “It would be fantastic if Olin would recommit to allowing the public in to see Six Lakes again.” Justin also found the information on the tour and at the meeting useful for Six Lakes advocates. Corteva’s plan, he noted, provides “a potential roadmap for what a partnership with Olin could look like, in the sense that it is protecting green space in the most needed areas, and decisions are being made in collaboration with the local community.”  

Also in October, steering committee members visited Brick Yard Point in North Haven (pictured above). This property, located across the railroad tracks behind J-Roo’s restaurant off State Street, is about half the size of Six Lakes—57 acres—and mostly comprises open meadows and wetlands restored with native plantings after remediation. A two-mile trail system encircles the property, edging near the Quinnipiac River and tidal marshlands. As its name indicates, the site was once a brick yard and later an industrial site belonging, in succession, to a number of major corporations, most recently Pfizer. Years of remediation here entailed treatment and removal of some highly polluted material and installation of caps on additional impacted areas. Permanent environmental land use restrictions will “ensure the remedy remains protective.” In addition, because groundwater here was contaminated, an onsite water treatment system remains in operation, and water is being monitored long-term under supervision of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). 

Steering committee member Sue McDonald found our long walk on extensive trails through the sunny, reclaimed green space inspiring. However, she added, it was also “sobering to realize how long-lasting the impact of past industrial pollution can be.” Sue noted, “Large areas of the site had been unnaturally regraded, and we were never out of sight of the 24/7 water treatment facility or the dozens of monitoring wells that conditions at the site will continue to require for a long time to come." 

While visiting these sites was a great learning experience, we have a more ambitious vision for Six Lakes. Both Lake Success and Brick Yard Point offer managed access only. That means the public has limited opportunities to enter the sites, unlike state and municipal parks that tend to be open daily, from dawn to dusk. The details about how the public will be able to enjoy Lake Success remain to be worked out. Brick Yard Point is accessible one day a month to those who sign up for a two-hour time slot to walk and enjoy its meadows and wetlands. Walks at Brick Yard Point will resume in the spring. 

How we will create more public access at Six Lakes than at these two similar industrial sites is just one of the big questions we’ll continue to explore as we plan for the future of Six Lakes.