Stonington — First Selectwoman Danielle Chesebrough said Thursday that the town is planning to survey the topography and wetlands of the so-called circus lot property in Pawcatuck to determine if it should purchase it from the Town of Westerly.

Acquiring and improving the overgrown, vacant, 6-acre property at the end of Noyes Avenue, possibly as a riverfront park, has been an initiative of the Economic Development Commission as part of its ongoing effort to revitalize downtown Pawcatuck.

The circus lot is so named because circuses were once staged there. It was purchased by the Town of Westerly more than a half-century ago to provide drinking water for its system that serves customers in Pawcatuck. The property, well and its pump house, though, are abandoned and overgrown. The well was never used because of concerns the water supply was no longer drinkable due to potential industrial groundwater contamination across the Pawcatuck River.

The site is separated from the former Campbell Grain building property, which is the site of a proposed 82-unit apartment building, by the Amtrak rail line but could be connected by a boardwalk along the Pawcatuck River.

According to the terms of a previous agreement with Westerly, Stonington can purchase the land for $35,000, money which is available in the town's open space fund. Chesebrough said a previously completed environmental survey did not show a great deal of contamination on the property.

Chesebrough said the proposed topographic and wetlands survey will tell the town how much of the land is usable and help determine potential options for the site. She said the town has one $12,000 bid for the survey and she plans to seek a second one.

"This is an important first step," she said Thursday about the survey after meeting with selectwomen along with planning and economic development officials.

Chesebrough said the town along with Westerly and North Stonington have discussed the creation of a Pawcatuck River Kayak Trail and the circus lot could be a place where people could launch or haul out kayaks. She said there could also be state or federal funding to help develop the site.

j.wojtas@theday.com