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Unci & Community Revtfalizgtion
BROWN FIELDS SUCCESS IN NEW ENGLAND
OCCUM PARK
NORWICH, CONNECTICUT
Property Details
Property Address:
Property Size:
Former Uses:
Taftville-Occum Road, Norwich, CT 06360
5 acres
Textile mill
Contaminants Found: Pohchlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), petroleum
hydrocarbons, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), asbestos and metals
Current Use:
Current Owner:
Public park with a multi-use field, walking track,
basketball court, picnic tables, playground, and
river access for small boats and canoes
City of Norwich
Project Partners
EPA, City of Norwich, Connecticut Department of Economic and
Community Development (DECD), Norwich Community Development
Corporation, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP), GBI Consultants, Inc.
Funding Details
EPA Targeted Brownfields Assessment Funding
Connecticut DECD
City of Norwich
Connecticut DEP
$84,903
$1,500,000
$300,000
$900,000
Project Highlights
•	Removed 400 tons of solid waste, including wood, metal, cloth,
and other waste
•	Disposed of approximately 150 tons of PCB-contaminated
soil offsite
•	Capped more than 10,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil
Drivers for Redevelopment: Recreational park space in this
area of Norwich was too limited to meet the needs of the local
community. In an effort to address this problem, neighborhood
and city residents designed Occum Park for passive and active
outdoor recreation. Additionally, it was believed that a family-
friendly park in this section of town would spur additional
investment and community improvements.
Property History: Located on the Shetucket River within
the Quinebaug Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage
Corridor, this five-acre property was utilized by the City Textile
Corporation for a textile finishing business from 1967 to 1986.
Afire destroyed the null complex in 1986 leaving only the
foundation and a concrete building, and subsequently the site was
abandoned for 13 years. Because contamination was suspected,
EPA committed $84,903 through its Targeted Brownfields
Assessment (TBA) Program to assess environmental conditions
at the site. The assessments revealed poK chlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs), petroleum hydrocarbons, polyaromatic hydrocarbons
and metals, all of which have serious health risks.
Project Results: In 2001, the City of Norwich took ownership
of the site and granted a use variance to develop Occum Park in
a former industrial zone. Cleanup began in 2002 and involved
removal and offsite disposal of 400 tons of solid waste, including
wood, metal, cloth and other waste from the fire, as well as
approximately 150 tons of PCB-contaminated soil. More than
10,000 cubic yards of remaining contaminated soil were capped
under a thick plastic geomembrane, with an additional two feet
of clean sand and topsoil placed atop that. The cap's integrity
is annually monitored by the city. The Connecticut DECD
provided $1.5 million for the Occum Park Neighborhood
Redevelopment Project; additional funds were provided by
Connecticut DEP and the City of Norwich, and administered by
the Norwich Community Development Corporation. Completed
in June 2005, the new riverfront park offers a large, multi-use
field in the center of a walking track; a basketball court; picnic
tables; and a playground. The design also includes bench
seating convenient to the riverfront and river access for small
boats and canoes. This project has already served as a catalyst
for redevelopment activities in the Village of Occum.
Project Timeline
1967-1986
Textile business in operation
1986
Fire destroys mill complex
1997
CT DEP begins testing for contaminants onsite
1998
CT Governor announces $1.5 million to fund park
redevelopment
1999
EPA commits $75,000 in Targeted Brownfields
Assessment funds
2001
City acquires the property
2002-2004
Cleanup activities conducted
2004
Construction begins
June 2005
Occum Park is completed and opened to the public
August 2008
Local Contact: William Sweeney. Planning and Neighborhood Sendees
(860) 823-3760

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