ScubaSarus
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PORTLAND -- The town has a draft agreement with three brothers who hope to develop the brownstone quarries as an underwater attraction.
If a final agreement can be reached, the brothers -- Edward, Frankand Sean Hayes -- propose spending between $400,000 and $750,000 to clean the quarry, remove debris -- especially algae -- and create the only dive park of its kind in New England.
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The brothers would pay the town a fixed percentage of their gate receipts, to a maximum of 15 percent, in exchange for the lease to create and operate the dive park in the two quarries.
The quarries supplied brownstone to major cities on three continents for generations until changing building decoration styles spelled an end to a 300-year industry in the first third of the 20th century.
The quarries were inundated in the mid-1930s, when raging floodwaters surging down the Connecticut River washed over its banks and spilled into the quarries.
First Selectwoman Susan S. Bransfield said she hopes that the creation of a dive park in the quarries will act as a lure to Scuba divers, who in turn will stimulate development of restaurants and shops in town.
She said she envisions "a family oriented park," that would include scuba diving, canoeing and kayaking, rock climbing, and, possibly, concerts.
The Hayes brothers, who are operating as the Brownstone Exploration and Discover Park Association, have been working with Bransfield and the town for more than a year on the proposed agreement.
Bransfield put a draft lease agreement to her colleagues on the Board of Selectmen this past week. "There still are some parameters that need to be worked out," Bransfield told the selectmen. However, on one point, she said, there was no disagreement: "It has been a pleasure to work with Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Associates."
"It has been a long process," Bransfield said. But, she added, "This is a very carefully crafted document from beginning to end."
Bransfield asked the selectmen to forward the proposed agreement to the Planning and Zoning Commission for review and comment.
Assuming the planning commission does not have any major objections to the proposed agreement, it would then be returned to the selectmen, Bransfield said. The selectmen would then forward the proposal to a town meeting, to try and answer as many questions from residents as possible, she said.
"We would then make any necessary changes, and then we would take it to town meeting for approval," she added.
The initial lease would run for five years (through 2010), with the option of extending it for four five-year terms, or 25 years in total.
The town would be paid 5 percent of the gate?s sales in the first year of operation, (which is anticipated to be 2007) and then an additional 5 percent a year in the next two years until it reaches the maximum of 15 percent.
That reimbursement would only apply to the gate sales, Bransfield said. "It would not include equipment rental fees or merchandise."
Town residents would receive an automatic 50 percent admission discount when they used the park.
While most of the activities would be centered on the larger North Quarry, the South Quarry would be reserved for training by police and public safety agencies and qualified master divers, she added.
The police and fire departments would not be charged any fee for using the South Quarry for training purposes, according to the proposed agreement.
Bransfield said she worked with Nancy Mueller, the town?s director of planning, Director of Public Works Richard D. Kelsey, Director of Finance Donald W. Goodrich, and Director of Parks and Recreation Sandy Darna.
In addition, "planning and zoning (commission) and the Conservation Commission are aware of this," she added.
At present, the only similar diver park is a quarry on eastern Pennsylvania. However, Ed Hayes said there is a need for a facility in New England, noting that for fire and police dive teams in particular, their only other option is ocean diving, which has its limits.
Ed Hayes, who is a construction supervisor, said the first step would be "getting loads of garbage -- man-made and natural -- out of the quarries." In particular, he said there is an overabundance of algae in the north quarry, which is blocking the sunlight that can get to the deeper reaches of the quarry, as well as choking off other marine life, including fish.
Once that is done, Hayes said, he and his brothers would begin installing "diving platforms and under and above water attractions."
"It is a massive undertaking," Ed Hayes said. "We?re talking 40 acres of water, with not much land."
"This is new territory for everyone," Frank Hayes acknowledged.
To contact Jeff Mill, call (860) 347-3331 ext. 221 or e-mail jmill@middletownpress.com.
If a final agreement can be reached, the brothers -- Edward, Frankand Sean Hayes -- propose spending between $400,000 and $750,000 to clean the quarry, remove debris -- especially algae -- and create the only dive park of its kind in New England.
Advertisement
Click to learn more...
The brothers would pay the town a fixed percentage of their gate receipts, to a maximum of 15 percent, in exchange for the lease to create and operate the dive park in the two quarries.
The quarries supplied brownstone to major cities on three continents for generations until changing building decoration styles spelled an end to a 300-year industry in the first third of the 20th century.
The quarries were inundated in the mid-1930s, when raging floodwaters surging down the Connecticut River washed over its banks and spilled into the quarries.
First Selectwoman Susan S. Bransfield said she hopes that the creation of a dive park in the quarries will act as a lure to Scuba divers, who in turn will stimulate development of restaurants and shops in town.
She said she envisions "a family oriented park," that would include scuba diving, canoeing and kayaking, rock climbing, and, possibly, concerts.
The Hayes brothers, who are operating as the Brownstone Exploration and Discover Park Association, have been working with Bransfield and the town for more than a year on the proposed agreement.
Bransfield put a draft lease agreement to her colleagues on the Board of Selectmen this past week. "There still are some parameters that need to be worked out," Bransfield told the selectmen. However, on one point, she said, there was no disagreement: "It has been a pleasure to work with Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Associates."
"It has been a long process," Bransfield said. But, she added, "This is a very carefully crafted document from beginning to end."
Bransfield asked the selectmen to forward the proposed agreement to the Planning and Zoning Commission for review and comment.
Assuming the planning commission does not have any major objections to the proposed agreement, it would then be returned to the selectmen, Bransfield said. The selectmen would then forward the proposal to a town meeting, to try and answer as many questions from residents as possible, she said.
"We would then make any necessary changes, and then we would take it to town meeting for approval," she added.
The initial lease would run for five years (through 2010), with the option of extending it for four five-year terms, or 25 years in total.
The town would be paid 5 percent of the gate?s sales in the first year of operation, (which is anticipated to be 2007) and then an additional 5 percent a year in the next two years until it reaches the maximum of 15 percent.
That reimbursement would only apply to the gate sales, Bransfield said. "It would not include equipment rental fees or merchandise."
Town residents would receive an automatic 50 percent admission discount when they used the park.
While most of the activities would be centered on the larger North Quarry, the South Quarry would be reserved for training by police and public safety agencies and qualified master divers, she added.
The police and fire departments would not be charged any fee for using the South Quarry for training purposes, according to the proposed agreement.
Bransfield said she worked with Nancy Mueller, the town?s director of planning, Director of Public Works Richard D. Kelsey, Director of Finance Donald W. Goodrich, and Director of Parks and Recreation Sandy Darna.
In addition, "planning and zoning (commission) and the Conservation Commission are aware of this," she added.
At present, the only similar diver park is a quarry on eastern Pennsylvania. However, Ed Hayes said there is a need for a facility in New England, noting that for fire and police dive teams in particular, their only other option is ocean diving, which has its limits.
Ed Hayes, who is a construction supervisor, said the first step would be "getting loads of garbage -- man-made and natural -- out of the quarries." In particular, he said there is an overabundance of algae in the north quarry, which is blocking the sunlight that can get to the deeper reaches of the quarry, as well as choking off other marine life, including fish.
Once that is done, Hayes said, he and his brothers would begin installing "diving platforms and under and above water attractions."
"It is a massive undertaking," Ed Hayes said. "We?re talking 40 acres of water, with not much land."
"This is new territory for everyone," Frank Hayes acknowledged.
To contact Jeff Mill, call (860) 347-3331 ext. 221 or e-mail jmill@middletownpress.com.
