Coming Attractions
While we wait for the next four to six months (or longer?) for Main Street to reopen, many residents believe it is because a new road is being constructed. That is only partially true. The closure of Main Street is a small taste of what may be coming. While the brave crews work to remediate the site, it was deemed so potentially dangerous that civilians shouldn’t even drive by it. Thus the closure. How dangerous? Aside from the asbestos (We are certainly familiar with that in Stratford aren’t we?) there are the PCB’s, lead, mercury, arsenic, a variety of VOC’s (Volatile Organic Chemicals) and other unpronounceable chemicals that have leached into those few acres from the Stratford Army Engine Plant.
Which, to any reasonable person, means that the clean up of the Stratford Army Engine Plant (SAEP) is going to be exponentially larger, more complex and expensive. The SAEP is still owned by the U.S. Army. The sale to Point Stratford Renewal has not been executed due to the disagreement over the cost of remediation and, well, who will pay for it. While Stratford has been taken out of this loop many years ago due to mismanagement, it remains Stratford residents who will be the most effected.
Why bring this up? Because citizens should know what they are being exposed to. We certainly can’t depend on Harkins and his group of press release writers.
“The mayor said the site will eventually see a “mixed-use” development…the property will gradually become transformed into an attractive and “vibrant” part of town with a greenway, hotel, apartments, retail outlets and other amenities.”http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Army-Engine-Plant-deal-finally-takes-off-4940619.php“
Amenities? Like men in moon suits? Unfortunately, we will not be able to see what’s going on during the airport phase due to the worthy attempt to keep civilians as far away and as safe as possible. But to ignore reality and to propose that everything will be puppies and rainbows is an insult to every citizen of Stratford. As we have been shown repeatedly by this mayor, truth is the last thing we can expect from him.
