Manchester to Purchase and Preserve More Land Near Case Mountain Thanks to State Grant

Manchester will be able to purchase 34 acres of undeveloped land that abuts Case Mountain and the Case Mountain Reservoir as part of $9 million in Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition grants announced last week by the state of Connecticut. 

Overall, the grants will be used to support 35 communities in purchasing 2,732 acres of land throughout the state to be preserved as open space. Locally, Manchester will spend $205,000 to purchase 34 acres near the Case Mountain Reservoir in three separate parcels of land off Spring Street. Two of the parcels directly abut the Case Mountain pond and reservoir, according to the state, while the third will serve as a buffer parcel with road frontage on Spring Street.  
“Land conservation is an important investment in our future, and moves us closer to meeting our goal of protecting 21 percent of Connecticut’s land as open space in the next ten years,” Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said in a statement.  “These preservation projects are key to maintaining our high quality of life and making Connecticut a great place to live, work and raise a family.”

The state said that the Manchester purchase will link "Case Pond to the remaining forested block of Case Mountain, protects the Birch Mountain watershed, enhances existing recreation and provides almost unlimited access to the south shore of Case Pond."