BY ANDREAS YILMA
citizens news
NAUGATUCK — The entrance to the Parks and Recreation facility, also known as the Mission 22 Way bridge, will be getting rebuilt.
The span, which is in need of repair, crosses Long Meadow Pond Brook into the 3.5-acre former Army National Guard Armory site at 607 Rubber Ave. The borough, which initially took possession of the property in November 2016, was successful in its application for state Department of Transportation funding. The state will pay for 80% of the rebuild and the borough 20%.
However, the borough received a call from the state that if town officials signed up right away, the state would provide the extra 20% from another fund. Borough officials have sent in the application.
“The way it stands now, we’re going for 100%,” Mayor N. Warren “Pete” Hess said. “It needs to be repaired. It’s defective.”
The state will start designing the bridge this year and construction is expected to start next year, he noted.
The name Mission 22 is significant regarding the borough’s annual hike for veteran suicide awareness. The 8th annual 22 for 22 Hike to Prevent Suicide took place Sept. 23 last year. The hike was launched through a collaboration of the Mission 22 organization, the borough and the Naugatuck Elks.
