There aren't that many opportunities, in these early decades of the 21st Century, to create new parks, especially ones that improve public access to the water.

But here in eastern Connecticut we are lucky to have three new parks in development.

One is the exciting new Thames River Heritage Park, which gets parkgoers out on the river on a water taxi connecting various historical sites in Groton and New London.

Another is the new state park at Seaside in Waterford, which could create an extraordinary venue with recreation, lodging and restaurants on a remarkable site along Long Island Sound, showcasing the historic buildings of famed architect Cass Gilbert.

And finally there is one of my favorites, for the big impact it will deliver on a small investment, the new Mystic Boathouse Park.

It is named for a new boathouse that park plans call for becoming the home of the Stonington High School men's and women's crew teams.

Indeed, it was the Friends of Stonington Crew that first got the project going, identifying the waterfront site north of Mystic Seaport as a good staging area for the crew teams on the Mystic River.

Town selectmen eventually got on board with the idea of creating a combined park and boathouse facility for high school crew teams.

First Selectman Rob Simmons has taken the project under his wing since taking office, and this fall voters likely will be asked to approve a bond referendum of close to $2 million to make the project a reality.

The Friends of Stonington Crew will separately raise money to build the boathouse, which will be located on the new town park property.

There are lots of things for Stonington residents to celebrate in this plan.

Of course the creation of any new public recreation space that provides free access to the water is commendable.

This one also would provide a new base for high school crew teams, which would generally improve the town's school system.

The school's crew teams have brought the town some glory with their recent wins, and, more important, crew team members have the best track record in the town's school sports programs for getting college scholarships, often at prestigious schools with good crew programs.

Maybe best of all, the program not only creates new public water access and improves the school system, but also promises economic development.

The development of the park would clear the site, now hidden by dilapidated buildings, shrubbery and fencing, to create a wide new vista of the Mystic River along Route 27.

Combined with the new Coogan Farm by the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, just northeast of the boathouse park, as well as the seaport's new exhibits building and north entrance, it will create a breathtaking new gateway to Mystic.

This small investment will have an enormous impact on the visitor experience to Mystic.

Not only will it have a wow factor on Route 27, as you approach the village, but it also provides a new amenity for visitors, creating a long system of trails, from the new trails at Coogan Farm to the waterfront walkways of the boathouse property.

The town seems to be responsibly pursuing the project.

The Trust for Public Land is assisting, acquiring the property so that it can be sold directly to the town.

The trust has a $1.85 million purchase contract. The cost of remediating environmental issues — the site was part of the nearby Rossi velvet mill and used for dumping — will be deducted from the purchase price.

The town will then be able to apply for environmental remediation grants so the eventual purchase price may be significantly less than $1.8 million.

It is, Simmons notes, probably the last big piece of undeveloped property on the river south of Interstate 95.

And now it can be a park.

I don't know of many communities that ever looked back with regret over a decision to create a new park.

This is the opinion of David Collins.

d.collins@theday.com