Community group seeks funding to renew Thomaston park
Willimantic, CT (05/22/2020) — The Seth Thomas Park Revitalization Committee is pushing ahead with plans to completely update Thomaston's Seth Thomas park, beginning with a new master plan and land survey. Project organizers are seeking community support to raise $1,465 by the July 1 fundraising deadline. Donations will be matched, dollar for dollar, by the Sustainable CT Community Match Fund.
When completed, the park will have handicapped accessible walkways, a performance area for summer concerts/community activities, safe lighting and enhanced landscaping.
"This park is an entrance point to the town," said Mary Beth Thomas, project leader. "Many people like to come here to enjoy a concert or the farmers market, and these renovations will make this a great place for more community events in the future."
Sustainable CT is an initiative of the Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University that is funded by the Smart Seed Fund, Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation and Connecticut Green Bank.
To learn more about the project and to donate, visit https://ioby.org/project/seth-thomas-park-revitalization
About Sustainable CT and the Community Match Fund
The Sustainable CT Community Match Fund is an innovative funding resource that provides a dollar-for-dollar match to all donations raised from the community, doubling local investment. The program is helping to bring projects across the state to life by providing fast, accessible funding as well as fundraising coaching and support to residents and organizations with great ideas to make their communities more sustainable.
Anyone in a Sustainable CT-registered municipality is eligible to receive this funding, meaning that schools, nonprofits, community groups and individual residents can all propose projects and access the matching funds.
To start a Community Match Fund project, visit www.ioby.org/sustainablect or contact Sustainable CT's Abe Hilding-Salorio at hildingsalorioa@easternct.edu or 860-465-0256.
"Through the Community Match Fund, we aim to put residents at the forefront of creating positive, impactful change," said Hilding-Salorio, community outreach manager for Sustainable CT. "Match Fund projects are community led and community funded, demonstrating the power of people working together to make change in their communities."
Sustainable CT, an initiative by the Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University, provides a roadmap of sustainability best practices for towns, technical assistance, funding and recognition through certification. Forty-seven towns and cities across Connecticut have earned the prestigious Sustainable CT certification, demonstrating accomplishments in nine impact categories including inclusive and equitable communities, cleaner transportation, vibrant arts and culture, natural resource stewardship and affordable housing. Sustainable CT is funded by the Hampshire Foundation, Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation and Connecticut Green Bank. Find more information at www.sustainablect.org.
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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving 5,000 students annually at its Willimantic campus and satellite locations. In addition to attracting students from 162 of Connecticut's 169 towns, Eastern also draws students from 34 other states and 19 countries. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 65 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal art foundation grounded in an array of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 30 public universities in the North Region by U.S. News and World Report in its 2019 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 10 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.