Norwich — A tour of Taftville by city officials last Saturday to address blighted conditions and ways to improve the historic mill village paid off immediately for neighborhood advocates who led the tour, as the City Council two days later agreed to fund efforts to convert a defunct ball field into a community park.

The Taftville Little League field has not been used for several years, and the dugouts, concession and maintenance buildings have fallen into disrepair.

On Monday, the City Council was asked to support a proposal to spend $15,000 to begin demolition of the decaying Little League buildings to turn the city-owned property located behind the Taftville Volunteer Fire Department into an open space area.

But Mayor Deberey Hinchey, citing the strong support by Taftville residents for the project, won unanimous council support Monday to double the funding to $30,000 — removing funds proposed for other agencies or projects — to demolish all of the facilities, including removing the fence, at the ballfield.

Hinchey suggested the city apply for CDBG funds in next year’s new grant round to build a playground on the property.

City Community Development Department supervisor Gary Evans said playground construction is an allowable expense for the CDBG grant money, and a city official or department would have to apply for the funds.

Weeks before Saturday’s tour, acting City Manager John Bilda had requested $30,000 from a pool of leftover federal community development block grant funds to demolish the buildings and create an open field park. But the Community Development Advisory Committee cut half the request in the list of recommended grants sent to the City Council for approval.

“I believe we should be using more of our CDBG money for projects like that,” Hinchey said of the Taftville park idea.

In order to add $15,000 to the Taftville project, Hinchey asked the council to reduce a grant to Safe Futures from $12,300 to $10,000 to restore a part-time domestic violence victims' advocate stationed at the Norwich Police Department, and also to eliminate a $6,700 grant recommended for a Habitat for Humanity house renovation project, and $6,000 to Madonna Place that would have funded a fatherhood initiative program. All three cuts were approved uanimously by the council.

She cited a similar neighborhood park in Greeneville that the city improved with a new playground and covered picnic area. The park quickly became a favorite spot for families and hosts regular Greeneville festivals.

Denise Relyea, chairwoman of the Taftville Neighborhood Watch for the past 15 years, said she was thrilled with the council vote Monday and the park idea.

She cited the Robert “Red” McKeon Park in Occum as an example of what could be built in Taftville. The Occum Park has a playground, walking track and large open grassy area.

“They did a wonderful thing in Occum,” Relyea said.

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