Parks & Recreation Commission

CHESTER PARKS AND RECREATION

Celebrating Community

through People, Parks and Programs!

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

The fun continues this fall! Join our outdoor programs for children in grades 2 through 6 on days off of school and early school dismissals! The registration fee is $20 for each half of a full day or an early dismissal day. Add the lunch break and stay for a full day for $5. Financial Aid Scholarships are available!

Link to the registration and information form: 2021 Fall Children’s Programs

Full or half day programs are offered at North Quarter Park, with basketball &/0r croquet in the morning and crafts and/or disc golf in the afternoon, on October 11. Early dismissal programs meet at Chester Elementary School with lacrosse on October 14, field hockey on October 15, and lacrosse and/or field hockey games for those who participate on the 14th and/or 15th on October 20.

The rain day make up for all programs is November 2 at North Quarter Park.

Full days are 8:45am until 11:45am for the morning program and 12:30pm until 3:30pm for the afternoon program. The lunch break is 11:45am until 12:30pm.

Early dismissal programs follow the half school day until 3:30pm.

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

Pay for any program or make a donation with the “Donate” button, below. Please add the fee amount indicated to cover the cost of this service when registering for a program or purchasing a non-resident park/beach pass.

Stay safe and healthy, and respect the safety of others. Practice social distancing. When you can’t, please wear a mask in public, including while you ENJOY OUR PARKS.

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.

HOW TO PLAY DISC GOLF & NORTH QUARTER PARK COURSE DIAGRAM: Disc Golf Map & Instructions

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.)

Non-resident park passes are available for $120 by cash or check payable to the “Town of Chester” Fee Schedule

Cedar Lake 2022 Summer Season

Lifeguards will be on duty June 7 until August 19, 2022, at the Town Beach on Cedar Lake. The operating hours will be 10:00am until 6:30pm, daily, weather permitting.

Please bring a face covering to wear when entering and exiting through the main gate and in public areas of the park, such as inside the concession or in the restrooms. As a courtesy to all, please social distance from people you do not know when choosing a spot to sit or swim. Masks are not required when you are sitting in the park or swimming in the lake. Remember, at this time, children under 12 have not yet been vaccinated. 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 a parking pass on their vehicles and 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 7, 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 Park 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