Officials Dealing With Drainage, Boat Launch Issues At New Riverfront Park

GLASTONBURY The patio overlook and handicapped accessible ramp at the new boathouse will be unavailable for the next few weeks as the town addresses drainage issues due to a high water table.

Town Manager Richard J. Johnson said Friday that geotechnical experts have recommended the town install additional below grade drainage to relieve groundwater pressure that is causing an area of the patio to sink.

"We have groundwater where we don't want it and will open up a trench to fix it," Johnson said of a project that will begin Monday. "It's something you wish was identified earlier. It's obviously something you don't want to continue."

The $12 million Riverfront Park expansion had its grand opening celebration a week ago. The project includes a boathouse/banquet facility, motorized boat launch, canoe and kayak launch, lighted basketball court, picnic pavilions, skating area, playgrounds a fountain and trails.

Although the rear patio and access to the upper portion of the boathouse will be closed, the remainder of the park is open to the public, Johnson said. He also noted that the boat launch will not be opened this fall as expected. The boat launch docks failed to meet the town's specifications and had to be re-ordered. The gaps between the docks were too wide and were considered a safety hazard.

"There was a potential for people to get hurt," Johnson said. "We will have them ready for the spring. These things are unfortunate, but these things are going to happen during a large construction project. It's not uncommon that you find things after construction.

"It's frustrating," he added. "You just hope for the best. We are responding and working our way through things."

Town Council Chairman Stewart "Chip" Beckett III said the news was "very disappointing."

"On the other hand, you are digging next to a river that was once an industrial area," he said of the location that was once an oil tank farm. "We aren't panicking. We aren't getting excited. It's just challenging when you are working along a riverbank and any number of things can go wrong."

Beckett said the news is disheartening especially after the "homerun" of Saturday's opening.

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Officials Dealing With Drainage, Boat Launch Issues At New Riverfront Park