Batterson Park: a Hidden Gem.

For years Batterson Park provided a respite from summer heat to thousands of people from the Hartford Region. The park is located in Farmington and New Britain and owned by the City of Hartford. Interestingly the lake was originally used as a drinking water reservoir before the Hartford Water Department donated the tract to the Parks Department in 1928 and provided a safe place to enjoy the great outdoors. The 200-acre park – with its 165-acre pond for swimming, fishing, sailing, and kayaking, and a beach for sunning -- provided a perfect venue for a hot summer day. Grills, firepits, a pavilion, and tables for outdoor picnicking were available to families and friends to spend a summer afternoon together. With over 176 species of birds, turtles, and fish, the wildlife is plentiful, and the sunrises spectacular, making this park a regional treasure!

Sadly, due to budget constraints, the City of Hartford closed the Batterson Park in 2015. Currently, the park is in disrepair, with weeds, overgrown lawn, and crumbling buildings.

Thankfully in 2018, residents from Hartford, and New Britain formed the Batterson Park Conservancy, a 501C-3 nonprofit organization with a mission to preserve, restore and protect this beautiful park. From 2018-to 2021 the group organized meetings with town officials, state officials, politicians, and community activists to create a shared vision for the property. In March 2021, Speaker of the House, Matthew Ritter, obtained $10 million to fully restore Batterson Park.

The Conservancy is in need of funding for startup operating expenses and volunteer programming. These expenses include liability insurance, volunteer clean-ups, public awareness, education and board training and development. They are seeking support from donors to assist with the stewardship to maintain Batterson Park. Please join them as fellow stewards of Batterson Park with a financial contribution to support their mission. Click here to Donate!