The Town of Westport has covered the costs of the design and permitting process thus far and it will fund most of the upcoming site preparation work (grading and excavation). An additional $35,000 has been raised from several local grant sources, one of which is a matching grant.
However, the remaining money needed to complete the project must be raised through an appeal to Westport’s own residents. This fundraising effort is reminiscent of the public/private collaboration that took place in 1999 when the Clam House property was originally purchased and this important journey was begun.
The 191 Hillspoint Road Committee has been providing the leadership and energy necessary to drive this project forward for the last year and a half. It is their hope that Westport residents will reach into their wallets one more time to enable the plan to jump from blueprints to installation this fall – a perfect time for wetland plants to successfully take root.
Your help is crucial and the timing is critical. Please consider making an important contribution now. Many levels of giving are possible and your donation is tax-deductible. To skip directly to donation information, click here!
Your dollars will not only help improve the beauty of Westport and its shoreline, they will do much more. Your support will re-establish our lost link to the Sherwood Mill Pond and its folksy, historic past. Donations will also create a new opportunity for our young people to learn about the importance of tidal wetlands and the flora and fauna supported by them. Most of all, your dollars will provide future generations of Westporters with the chance to create new memories on the banks of the Sherwood Mill Pond. Allow them to experience and remember the simple joys that can be gained from the peaceful contemplation of a beautiful view and the natural habitat it embraces.
To learn more about what’s planned for the Sherwood Mill Pond Preserve and to find out how you can make a much-needed donation, please download our brochure and site plan.