With 4th of July here and summer well underway, Connecticut residents will be looking to enjoy the great outdoors. "We want the bright sunshine and to make sure everybody knows they’re welcome at all of our parks, all of our beaches" said Gov. Ned Lamont
Last year, the outdoors were the place to be with state parks welcoming around 10 million people and the state hopes to bring even more with a new free mode of transportation.
Tony Russell, the Director of Communications at the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection explained the service saying, "ParkconnectCT program is a pilot this summer to help make it easier for Connecticut residents to get five parks in particular. We’re talking about Silver Sands, Hammonasset, Bluff Point, Fort Trumbull and Sleeping Giant State Park."
The goal of the collaboration between DEEP and the Connecticut Department of Transportation is to make it easier for those wanting to visit and to experience the states' outdoor resources. "They’re gonna be able to use expanded services and fare-free services that include transit buses and shuttle systems that also connect with Connecticut rail systems to make it easier and give more options for people to get to those parks" said Russell.
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Already in effect, this service will be available weekends and holidays until Labor Day.
Lamont is excited about residents, but especially children, getting the chance to experience the sights and sounds of the Nutmeg State.
"Because we have a lot of kids in our state that haven’t had an opportunity to discover beaches like this, I really want them to have the opportunity to experience what we’re all able to enjoy" said Lamont.
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To learn more about how you can take park in the ParkconnectCT pilot program, click here.
