NO Firearm Training Facility In Willington CT

URGENT APPEAL TO NEIGHBORS, GUESTS OF WILDERNESS LAKE, AND FRIENDS

The CT State Police and the CT Department of Environmental and Public Protection's proposed new Firearm Training Facility has been narrowed down to prospective 2 sites, with the major one located in Willington, consisting of 327± acres east of Ruby Road (the other site is located in East Windsor).

A brief description of what is proposed:
55,000 square feet of buildings (one, or a combination of smaller buildings) that will contain:
- classrooms to hold up to approximately 100 troopers and/or cadets
- firearms simulator room
- open area training room
- indoor active-shooter training (not sure if this means an indoor range)
- gun cleaning and smithing space
- file storage room
- staff offices
- firearms vault
- ammunition storage vault
- recruit/staff kitchen and dinning area
- reloading area
- target storage area
- bathrooms with lockers and showers
- a garage
Outdoor facilities will consist of:
- 2 Range Control Towers
- Qualifying Pistol Range (approximately 200 ft x 170 ft)
- Active Shooter Training Range (approximately 200 ft x 170 ft)
- Rifle Range (approximately 300 yd x 50 yd)
- Shotgun Rifle Range (approximately 100 yd x 30 yd)
- Approximately 125 parking spaces
and the requisite well, septic systems, telecom, and electrical utilities.

Residents have overwhelmingly opposed this facility, as has the Board of Selectmen. The concerns voiced range from the noise of the gunfire to the potential lead contamination of soil and water, as well as significant loss of property value throughout the town. There is also concern that, given the size of the parcel, this facility could be expanded to include other related functions under the control of the Department of Emergency Services & Public Protection.

As owners of Wilderness Lake Campground, the impact to our pristine park that offers a rural setting getaway, a quiet solitude setting in which our guests share and balance with nature and animals, we recognize that this facility would change the setting of this town treasure.

As Willington residents, we work diligently to protect our land and what it provides for us. We are acutely aware of the change that a firearm facility of this magnitude will have on our existence.

We ask our neighbors, our friends, our guests, as well as all concerned residents in the region, to please use your voice and speak out against the violation of the rural residential character of this region of Connecticut and our quality of life.

This proposed project has now moved into the Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) phase. It is now too late for comments to be addressed in the EIE, which is scheduled for release in October, 2015.

However, your voice still needs to be heard by our state officials who will have an influence on how this project proceeds. Important contacts are:

State Representative Sam Belsito [email protected]
Legislative Office Building, Room 4200
300 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106-1591
860-240-8700, 800-842-1423 (toll free)

State Senator Tony Guglielmo [email protected]
Legislative Office Building, Room 3400
300 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106-1591
860-240-8800, 800-842-1421 (toll free)

Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman
State Capitol, Room 304
210 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106
860-524-7384, 866-712-6998 (toll free)

Governor Dannel Malloy
State Capitol
210 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106
860-566-4840, 800-406-1527 (toll free)

Benjamin Barnes [email protected]
Secretary of Office of Policy and Management
450 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106-1379
860-418-6200, 800-286-2214 (toll free)

Commissioner Dora Schriro [email protected]
Department of Emergency Services & Public Protection
1111 Country Club Road
Middletown, CT 06457
860-685-8000