Parks & Recreation Commission

CHESTER PARKS AND RECREATION

Celebrating Community

through People, Parks and Programs!

OUR WINTER PROGRAMS ARE FREE OF CHARGE THIS YEAR.

e-mail parkrec@chesterct.org or call 526-0013 x223

Chester Parks and Recreation’s Summer Camp is the recipient of a

generous donation from the

M. JONES FAMILY FUND

AT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY!

Make a Splash this summer! Look for Summer Camp Registration beginning February 1st!!!

Grades K & 1 Rookie Basketball Clinic after school this winter in January and February!

Register now! There is no fee for this program.

link to the registration form: ROOKIE BASKETBALL CLINIC

Grades 2 through 6 Basketball will be hosted by Essex Parks and Recreation this year.

link to Grades 2 & 3 Basketball in Essex

link to Essex Program Registration

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION 2022

CLICK FOR CREDIT CARD PAYMENT OPTION

FIELD HOCKEY 2022 PHOTO

Early Bird Running Club – Fall Session registration due September 30th! This program is full.

link to Early Bird Running Club Registration

Back by popular demand, the Chester Park & Rec Early Bird Running Club for CES students will be kicking off September 22nd! This Fall we will exercise, socialize and count our laps Thursday mornings (only) from 7:30-8AM before morning recess. The program will continue through December 1st and this year students will be able to participate at no cost. Please complete and return the Registration Form if you would like your child to participate. Contact Paul McAndrew with any questions – pwmcandrew@gmail.com or (617) 640-3560.

Thank you for spending your summer with Chester Parks and Recreation and it’s staff Tyler, Darlene, Randy, Brianna, Zach, Jackson, Abby, Kyra, Juliette, Reece, Jack, Lindsey, Chloe, Will, Cooper, Erin, Mika, and Liz.

HOW TO PLAY DISC GOLF & NORTH QUARTER PARK COURSE DIAGRAM:

Disc Golf Map & Instructions

The Parks and Recreation Department has a limited number of beginner, two disc sets, for $15. Each set includes a putter and a combination driver/mid-range disc. Contact the number or e-mail above to reserve your set!

EXPLORE CHESTER ON YOUR OWN, WITH FRIENDS, OR WITH YOUR FAMILY LED BY

This is a clue to answer the last North Quarter Park question.

“I SPY CHESTER…….MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE”.

Exercise your body and your mind! Take a walk guided by our map and puzzle sheet. Visit one, or all six locations in one day. They are within walking distance of Main Street. Enjoy the beautiful weather and learn about our Town with an activity for all ages.

(If you want the answers you may access them HERE.)

Park/Beach Passes for 6/2023-6/2024 will be available 2/1/23.

SWIMMING LESSONS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL LEVELS IN 2023!

The session will be 6, 45 minute classes Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, with Thursdays and Fridays scheduled as rain-day make-up classes the weeks of July 24 and July 31, 2023.

MAKE A SPLASH NEXT SUMMER!

We are an active, outdoor program specializing in waterfront activities.

OUR SUPERVISORS ARE CERTIFIED LIFEGUARDS!

Links to the calendar and registration material will be made available in 2023.

Our SUMMER PROGRAM is open to children entering grades 1 through 6, with creative programming from 8:30am until 3:30pm. We meet Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at Cedar Lake and Tuesdays, Thursdays, and rain-days at Chester Elementary School. The fee is $140 per week.

The program is scheduled the weeks of June 26, July 10, July 17, August 7, and August 14, 2023.

JOIN US FOR swimming, camp crafts, and beach games at Cedar Lake, with “Camp Capers” on Mondays, outdoor arcade on Wednesdays, and canoeing on Friday mornings! On Tuesdays and Thursdays children will enjoy a wide selection of sports, art projects, and discover our natural and physical environment through exploration and experiments!

For more information, a registration form, or a financial aid request e-mail parkrecc@chesterct.org or call us at 860-526-0013, x223.

Program payment, with a completed registration, may be cash, check to “Chester Parks and Recreation”, or by using the credit card option at the top of this page. The fee amount and dates are on registration form links. Registration may be submitted to the Town Hall Parks and Recreation box, the Chester Elementary Office, emailed to parkrec@chesterct.org or mailed to Chester Parks and Recreation, 203 Middlesex Avenue, Chester, CT 06412.

For SAFETY, CHILDREN under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult at Cedar Lake and all Town parks. Remember! PARK EQIPMENT IS NOT DISINFECTED. PLEASE SANITIZE YOUR HANDS BEFORE AND AFTER USE.

Fee Schedule

Cedar Lake 2023 Summer Season

Lifeguards will be on duty June 9 until August 18, 2023, at the Town Beach on Cedar Lake. The operating hours will be 10:00am until 6:30pm, daily, weather permitting.

As a courtesy to all, please distance from people you do not know when choosing a spot to sit or swim. These policies are subject to modification as our health district guidelines change. PARK EQIPMENT IS NOT DISINFECTED. PLEASE SANITIZE YOUR HANDS BEFORE AND AFTER USE.

Only approved, safe, and secure floatation devices for non-swimmers are permitted, with a standing parent or adult guardian within one arms length of the non-swimmer wearing the floatation. Drowning victims do not have to be submerged. Aspiration or inhaling water can cause drowning for hours after water has entered the lungs.

For SAFETY, CHILDREN under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult at Cedar Lake. The Chester Parks and Recreation Department would like to remind parents to please watch your children while they are in the water, and do not leave them unattended at the facility. Drowning is the second leading cause of trauma deaths for ages 1-19 years old and the third leading cause of ALL deaths of children 0-4 years of age.

Please remember that head first entries are not permitted. This includes throwing children into the water. Head-first entries are the leading cause of sports related spinal injuries.

It is the policy of the Chester Park and Recreation Commission that access to the Town parks, including the beaches on Cedar Lake, is by permit only. Residents must show identification at staffed parks and vehicles of residents parked at Town facilities must display a public access sticker, which is available at the Town Clerk’s Office. Non-residents must display their pass on their vehicles or show their pass and identification when entering a staffed facility. Non-resident park passes are available at Pelletier Park, from the lifeguard on duty, beginning June 10, from 10:00am until 6:30pm, daily, weather permitting, for $120 cash or check payable to the “Town of Chester”. These passes are not transferable. Residents and pass holders may bring up to five additional people, but must accompany them.

Contact the Selectman’s Office for group use in the off season or for unstaffed parks. Groups of 10 or more must make reservations in advance by submitting a completed group use application, a certificate of $1,000,000 liability insurance to the Town, and pay a group fee. Fee Schedule

Please note that, per the State DEEP, watercraft* are not permitted at Pelletier Park in season, while the swimming area is marked. For access to Cedar Lake please use alternate launch areas at the Town Beach across from Lakeview Avenue or the State Boat Launch on Bishop Road.

*including – but not limited to – kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, row boats, and inflatables

When parking at Pelletier Park, during unstaffed hours, or Lakeview Park on Cedar Lake, or Parkers Point Boat Launch on the Connecticut River, please display the Chester public access sticker on your vehicle (Public access stickers may be obtained from the Town Clerk’s office.) or the nonresident park pass.

Cedar Lake

The Town of Chester owns Cedar Lake and maintains two public parks on its shores. The area of the lake is about 80 acres and is fed by two springs and two inlet streams with outflow into the Pattaconk Brook. The lake is about 60 feet deep in the middle. The Town owns approximately one third of the shore. Another third is owned by Camp Hazen YMCA. The remainder is private residences and State owned property, including a boat launch. Chester’s main beach, on West Main Street, has a 50,000 square foot swimming area that is as deep as 20 feet in one corner during the spring. The park at the shore is named Robert H. Pelletier Park in memory of the Chester resident who was the Head Lifeguard for more than two decades. The area is 0.7 acres and includes seasonal lifeguard coverage, picnic tables, a pavilion, grills, and a food concession. The smaller park is located on Cedar Lake Road. It is unstaffed and has no designated swimming area. The beaches require patrons to have a permit.

North Quarter Park

North Quarter Park is a 22 acre, multi-use facility, located at the corner of Main Street and Middlesex Avenue. It includes a playground, picnic area, basketball court, 9-hole disc golf course, and two open fields in a wooded setting. The northern section of the park has a well-maintained .5 mile nature trail loop. The end of the trail offers beautiful views of the wildlife and habitat of the Chester Creek. A variety of water fowl, birds, and vegetation can be seen along the trail and in the creek.

Parker’s Point Boat Launch

This .6 acre boat launch facility is located at the end of Parker’s Point Road on the Connecticut River. It offers boat trailer parking and a picnic area with a beautiful view. The shore is a favorite winter eagle viewing location. A permit is required for parking. Details and prices may be found on the Fee Schedule

Chester Creek Overlook

The overlook is a waterfront spot with a .4 acre deck, seating area, and parking lot on the Chester Creek, just a stone’s throw from the Connecticut River. It is located at the end of Railroad Avenue. The Town dock at the overlook houses marine rescue and law enforcement watercraft.

L’Hommedieu Park

This old mill site is located on Spring Street, along the Pattaconk Brook. It is a peaceful setting with a dam, rushing waters, a picnic table, and views of Mallards, Wood Ducks, Great Blue Heron, and beavers. An historical narrative is posted at the park.

Chester Elementary School Baseball Fields

Three baseball fields are maintained by the Parks and Recreation Department at Chester Elementary School, on Ridge Road. This property was originally donated to the Town in 1928 by Jessie C. Bates, Hilton C. Brooks, and William P. Holden for athletic fields. The fields may be available for group usage by submitting the “Group Application for Unstaffed Park Usage”, below to the Selectman’s office.

PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU NOTICE A PROBLEM OR HAVE A CONCERN REGARDING ONE OF OUR PARKS!

860 526-0013 extension 223 or e-mail: parkrec@chesterct.org