Riverside Park Conservancy
The Riverside Park Conservancy, Inc is a Connecticut-based nonprofit corporation, exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, that was established in December 2011 to restore, manage and enhance Riverside Park, in partnership with the public and local government, for the enjoyment of present and future generations, and to improve the quality of open space for all New Londoners.
On November 8, 2011, the electors of the City of New London CT were asked to vote on the referendum question: "Shall the City of New London sell a portion of Riverside Park to the Federal Government?"
In the months leading up to the referendum, advocates for Riverside Park heard the concerns of many citizens who feared that, if the city retained ownership of the park after the vote, it would return to its former state of neglect. Sharing the concern that New London might not have the will or the resources to properly maintain the park, a group of friends of Riverside resolved to form a park conservancy, so that the entire burden of its maintenance would not fall on the city and its taxpayers.
After New London voters rejected the sale of the park, the Riverside Park Conservancy, Inc. was formed to continue to promote awareness of Riverside Park and encourage individuals and groups to utilize its resources. A 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization, RPC has begun to apply for grants to update park facilities, and plans to work in the future with the City of New London, UCONN's Community Research & Design Collaborative, as well as other local organizations, to create a master plan to improve access to the park, rationalize its hierarchy of roads, create spaces for active and passive recreation, and reconnect the park with its waterfront resources .