Fort Trumbull - Kathleen Mitchell: The Activist

The Editorial Board invited participants in the Jan. 28 Fort Trumbull roundtable to write some of their own thoughts about the discussion and what they would like to see happen next. Read the full package here.

There was no one more vociferous in their condemnation of past New London city councils that voted to use eminent domain in Fort Trumbull, the New London Development Corp. and the Municipal Development Plan.

So it was that when I was first asked to participate in The Day's forum on the future of Fort Trumbull, I had somewhat of a struggle with my conscience, having spent more than 10 years fighting the good fight with decent people who lost their homes and having been witness to the ongoing bitterness and sadness that many of those former residents still feel.

However, in some instances we get lucky and there comes a time and an opportunity when we are given the chance to put right the mistakes of the past, to stop being held hostage to a plan that didn't work, resentments that profit no one and to move on for the good of the entire community.

No doubt there is wisdom in the adage "Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it," but to continue to live in it profits no one, in particular the beleaguered taxpayers of New London.

Deputy Mayor Adam Sprecace and professor Alan Plattus, founder of the Yale Urban Design Workshop, with the help of The Day, offered us that opportunity recently when onetime former antagonists, among others, met in the same room to discuss ideas and dreams for Fort Trumbull and, much to our surprise, found that very often we were in agreement.

George Bernard Shaw wrote "If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas."

Consider that each one of us in the room that day had more than one idea, and that includes not only the invited participants but others who came with ideas of their own, and you will understand that silence did not exist at the forum.

Ranging from a village, complete with Victorian-style homes, a bookstore highlighting local talent, a bed and breakfast, marina with a waterside restaurant and other appropriate buildings and businesses which would include plans for an annual writer's festival, coordinated with the Monte Cristo Cottage (my personal favorite) to the previously proposed Coast Guard Museum and a scaled-down hotel right on to, are you ready for this, a water park, there was no end to the imagination and ideas generated that day.

One of the most encouraging things that I heard were the words of Alan Plattus, whose father was born in New London, as he described our often beleaguered city as a place of value, an under appreciated gem, with walkability, a great relationship to the water and assets in our history, our buildings and our people.

But the good news didn't stop in that meeting room.

Many residents of New London, when first hearing of the forum, quickly, but mistakenly, thought that this would be nothing more than a repeat of what happened to our city 10 years ago when a group of mostly non-residents sat down and told us what they thought we, the residents, should do and then they did it.

This time was different. Plans are being considered for a series of community workshops, where residents will come together with other stakeholders to explore possibilities for the future of Fort Trumbull.

Professor Plattus, along with the other participants, was enthusiastic and overflowing with ideas and possibilities for our city and confidence in the ability of all community members to work together.

I believe that we can and, given the opportunity, I intend to do so.