Senator Honig Celebrates Senate Passage of Bill to Open Canton Land for River Access and Community Events

HARTFORD — Senator Paul Honig (D-Harwinton) voted Wednesday for passage of Senate Bill 520, legislation he co-sponsored to open a parcel of state land at 37 Bridge Street in Canton to public use, improving access to the river, expanding parking, and creating space for town-wide events and the Rails to Trails corridor.

“The town of Canton came to me with a smart plan for this property and asked for help making it a reality,” Senator Honig said. “This change will clear the way for better river access, more parking, a gathering space for community events, and a stronger connection to the Rails to Trails corridor. The Canton community will benefit from this project and I’m glad I could do my part to make it happen.”

Under a 2024 special act, the state was required to convey the property outright to Canton. The town still wants to use the land, but the conveyance as structured would have required bringing additional abutting properties into the process, creating complications for neighboring property owners. A lease arrangement negotiated with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection achieves the same goal without those complications.

Senator Honig and Representative Eleni Kavros DeGraw testified in support of the bill at a public hearing on April 1 before the Government Oversight Committee, which advanced it on a unanimous vote on April 6.

Wednesday’s unanimous vote by the state Senate sends the bill to the House of Representatives for consideration before the legislative session’s May 6 adjournment date.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hugh McQuaid | hugh.mcquaid@cga.ct.gov |