New London — A major portion of what has been deemed a “rejuvenation” of the Alfred Mitchell Woods is wrapping up this month, with more work being planned for a pond and other features for the 26-acre woodland and public recreation area.

The project is part of a master plan that was completed by Mitchell College, caretakers of the woods, in the summer of 2015 following meetings with the community, New London Little League, Alfred Mitchell Woods Advisory Board, college staff and students.

The plan imagined a restoration of trails, reclamation of a meadow, restoration of a pond and improvements to recreational areas.

Janet Steinmayer, who became the college president in 2014, has said improvements to the woods help provide a connection between the college and the community.

“The Alfred Mitchell Woods is a place of daily enjoyment and happy memories in New London,” Steinmayer said. “As trustee of the Woods, we felt it was important to be good neighbors and good stewards by envisioning and implementing this renewal of the Woods."

"We thank everyone who has contributed to our plans and the work we have done, and we look forward to engaging more community members in the work ahead,” she said.

Work began last August when students and Little Leaguers joined for a day of caring to clear invasive weeds from paths, paint bleachers and clean the area around the Chappell Cottage.

Volunteers from Dominion, owner of Millstone Power Station in Waterford, also have performed work there.

Environmental grants from Dominion bolstered funding for the project, in addition to the use of an endowment fund. Dominion awarded the college $17,500 in 2015 and another $10,000 earlier this year for trail and pond restoration.

The college uses the pond for water sampling for some of its science classes.

Other work on phase one of the restoration project has included a new pedestrian-only entrance with a brick gateway between the baseball fields and tennis courts off Montauk Avenue.

Traffic now is diverted from the recreational area to an improved driveway and loop at the south end of the property.

The new walkway is almost complete with some landscaping left to install, according to Mitchell College Facilities Director Joe Pardee.

He said work also is planned to add lights along the walkway and a blue emergency phone for safety.

The area has two ballfields used by the Little League, affectionately known as Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium.

Fenway, the ballfield off Montauk Avenue, now sports a "Green Monster" wall named after the one at Fenway Park in Boston. Pardee said the league has raised its own funds for much of that work.

There also is a new naturalized play area under construction near the tennis courts. 

And one of the trails now has a 120-foot boardwalk.

“We wanted the park to remain park-like and the woods to remain woods-like. We want it to be natural space where people have a place to go in New London,” Pardee said.

The park was created by Annie Tiffany Mitchell in 1931 as a memorial to her late husband, Alfred.

She was the daughter of the founder of the Tiffany jewelry empire. Their estate became the site of the New London Junior College, later renamed Mitchell College.

Time permitting, the college’s grounds crew will start reclamation of a meadow this summer.

The Ocean Avenue entrance to the school will be opened up with the removal of a chain-link fence. 

The work for the pond still is being developed and may include dredging, removal of invasive weeds and construction of a wooden deck near the shoreline.

Deeper in the woods, near a rock outcropping, Pardee said some logs are being brought in to create an outdoor classroom.

 “There is still much to do,” he said.

g.smith@theday.com