The park is intended for all residents and visitors with an emphasis on accessibility and inclusivity for people of all ages and abilities. There will be no entry costs—everyone is welcome!
The decommissioned power plant structure provides an incredible opportunity to reimagine the industrial space and create a new venue for learning and exploration. By repurposing the power plant, we're able to preserve key aspects of Manresa Island's history while creating opportunities for indoor programming and activities year-round.
The reimagined power plant will focus on recreational and educational activities centered around water and environmental learning. The building will provide innovation, research and lab space, and opportunities for diverse community programming. An event venue within the building overlooking Long Island Sound will host both public and private events, bringing much-needed event and community gathering space to Norwalk while generating revenue to support long-term park operations.
The final building program is still in development, and community feedback is essential to determining what the space will offer. We're excited to present the updated vision, incorporating community input, at the end of 2025.
Manresa Wilds will be a place of learning, exploration and adventure for all. The park will offer engaging activities and a range of programs for visitors of all ages. Given the site's diverse coastal ecosystems, the focus will be on environmental education for visitors and school groups, taking advantage of the unique opportunity to learn about Long Island Sound ecology and environmental stewardship.
We're working with higher education institutions to develop research projects and classes on-site for students and the community. Manresa Island Corporation is committed to working with diverse partners to identify unique programming and education opportunities as the design evolves, ensuring the park serves as an education hub for curious learners of all ages.
With an anticipated opening of the northern forest in early 2027, a portion of the park will be open for educational programming. The northern forest is proposed to include trail systems and three openings, or pockets, that can be used for outdoor classrooms.
Manresa Island Corp.’s main goal is to have the site be accessible to the greatest degree as soon as possible. Remediation and construction will take place in phases. We anticipate opening the first phase of the park—the Northern Forest, closest to Longshore Road— in early 2027. Pending zoning approvals, a large portion of the park is expected to open in 2030, with the third phase planned for 2034.
Community input is essential to our vision for a publicly-accessible park that is truly made for all. We have hosted three successful community engagement meetings and circulated surveys, both online and in-person, to capture all feedback. To date, over 2,500 Norwalk residents have contributed their voice to shape Manresa Wilds. We're continuing to gather and assess all input, with specific youth-targeted engagement sessions planned for this fall. An updated vision for Manresa Wilds will be presented at the end of 2025.
Yes, environmental safety and remediation are the first and top priorities for this project. The site has a history as a coal power plant, which generated ash and contaminated the soil with heavy metals that need to be addressed.
Extensive brownfield remediation will be conducted in accordance with all environmental, state and local standards to ensure the land is not only safe but revitalized for ecological sustainability and habitat growth and preservation. The project’s engineering consultant, AKRF, is currently seeking permitting for a full site-remediation plan, developed in coordination with Connecticut's Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, pending a public review process. A public hearing is scheduled for October 10, 2025 at 6pm. The hearing will take place at the Brien McMahon High School, in Norwalk, CT. For details on the remediation plan, visit our Remediation Page.
Yes, a traffic study is currently underway and is a required part of the City of Norwalk’s planning and zoning approval process.
Yes, the project must meet all City of Norwalk and State of Connecticut approval requirements before moving forward.
Yes. Property tax is currently being paid by the non profit entity, Manresa Island Corp.
The site is currently owned by Manresa Island Corp., a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the site into a publicly accessible park.
The project will be built and managed by private philanthropic funds, led by Austin and Allison McChord, through Manresa Island Corp. As this is a privately owned park, there will be no tax increases for Norwalk residents associated with the park. After completion, the Manresa Island Corp. will manage and maintain the Manresa Wilds park, in perpetuity.
Upcoming milestones include a public hearing on remediation, scheduled for October 6, at 6pm, at the Brien McMahon High School, completion of the updated Master Plan by the end of 2025, a public reveal event in early 2026 for the Master Plan. The project team anticipates the local planning and zoning process to begin in Q2 of 2026.
As a 501(c)3, Manresa Wilds cannot make political contributions to express a political option, and or opinion. Our focus is on delivering the park for the residents of Norwalk, and the region.
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