Sen. Kissel: Somers Open Space Grant to Preserve Camp Aya-Po

Sen. John A. Kissel and Rep. Penny Bacchiochi joined Gov. Dannel P. Malloy in announcing a $450,000 grant to preserve more than 173 acres of open space at Camp Aya-Po YWCA in Somers.

Located in the northeast section of Somers, this property is actually two separate parcels separated by Camp Road. This site was a camp and has developed facilities for picnicking, fishing, and parking. Structural buildings not directly needed in the management of this site for passive recreation will be removed. There is an existing trail network within this property that links to the Blue Trail System.

The natural resources found on the property include:

“Once a beautiful parcel of land like this is developed, you can’t get that land back,” Sen. Kissel said. “Preserving this land will benefit Somers and our entire region for generations. We thank the governor and state officials for recognizing the need to protect key parcels of land from development like this one. This is a victory for our environment, and it is worth celebrating. This grant is particularly special to me because my son Nathaniel spent many happy summers attending Camp Aya-Po.”

“It is a priority for me and other officials to protect and preserve open space in our community and I applaud the Governor for adding this parcel to the list,” Rep. Bacchiochi said. “This land will be available for outdoor activities for generations to come and will help maintain the character of our town.”

“Land conservation is an important investment in our future, and moves us closer to meeting our goal of protecting 21 percent of Connecticut’s land as open space in the next ten years,” said Governor Malloy. “These preservation projects are key to maintaining our high quality of life and making Connecticut a great place to live, work and raise a family.”