Cove Island Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cove Island Park |
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East Beach facility in Cove Island Park
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| Type | Park, beach |
| Location | Stamford, Connecticut |
| Area | 83 acres (34 ha) |
| Operated by | City of Stamford |
| Website | Cove Island Park |
Cove Island Park is a fantastic 83-acre park, beach, and recreation area in the Cove part of Stamford, Connecticut. It's located right on the Long Island Sound, offering beautiful views and lots of activities.
To visit the park, you usually need a parking pass. If your family lives in Stamford and has a car registered there, you can buy a season pass for $25. For visitors from outside Stamford, a season pass costs $225.
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Fun Things to Do at the Park
Cove Island Park has many cool things to enjoy:
- Beaches: You can relax on the sand or play by the water.
- Walking and Running Trail: There's a one-mile path perfect for walking or jogging.
- Playground: Kids can have a blast on the playground equipment.
- Rollerblade/Cycling Path: A special path is available for rollerblading or riding bikes.
- Ice Skating: Near the park's entrance, you'll find the Terry Conners Ice Rink. In winter, you can go ice skating, take lessons, or even reserve the rink for special events.
Where is Cove Island Park?
The area around the park is called the Cove. It's a piece of land that sticks out into the water. On one side is the Shippan neighborhood, and on the other side is Holly Pond, which separates Stamford from Darien, Connecticut. Cove Island itself is a bit separate from the main land, but it's connected by two bridges. One of these bridges lets cars drive onto the island. The park's main parking lot is on the Cove peninsula, right across from Cove Island.
The park is home to many different natural areas, like:
- About 30% is an estuary (where fresh and salt water mix).
- 20% is made up of ponds or lakes.
- 10% is a forest with trees that lose their leaves in the fall.
- You'll also find areas with shrubs, grasslands, salt marshes, fields, and freshwater marshes.
Special Spots to See
- September 11th Memorial: Stamford's memorial for the September 11th attacks is located inside the park. It's a place to remember those who were lost.
- SoundWaters Coastal Education Center: Since 2000, this park has been the home of SoundWaters. This group teaches people about the environment. They have a free small aquarium, offer music events, canoe trips, and family activities. You can even go on trips aboard their 80-foot schooner (a type of sailboat)!
Home for Wildlife
The Audubon Society thinks Cove Island Park is a very important place for birds. It's one of 27 "Important Bird Areas" in Connecticut! The park is known for having a huge variety of wildlife, including over 50 types of butterflies and 287 different kinds of birds.
When you enter the wildlife sanctuary, you'll see an information stand. It has brochures, seasonal photos of plants and animals, and a chalkboard where people can share what new birds they've spotted. Beyond this, there's a 5-acre meadow filled with native grasses and wildflowers. A path goes around the meadow, which is easy for everyone to use. This path leads to a viewing area by the beach where you can watch shorebirds without disturbing Stamford's last natural sand dune. The meadow path also connects to a more rugged trail that goes through the woods along the park's western edge.
Park History
Cove Island became separated from the mainland a long time ago, in the late 1700s. This happened when a flour mill on the island was made bigger. Later, in the 1830s, Henry J. Sanford took over the land. He started the Stamford Manufacturing Co. in 1844. This company used the mills on Cove Island to make things like dye extracts and licorice. The factory was in business until 1919, when it burned down in a huge fire.
Over time, the City of Stamford turned the island into a park. The United States Army Corps of Engineers helped to develop the park's beach in the late 1950s.
In 2012, the park was flooded during Hurricane Sandy. The storm caused a lot of damage to Stamford's parks and beaches. Since then, the City of Stamford and other groups have been working with experts to create a long-term plan for the park. This plan helps protect the park from future environmental challenges.
Did You Know?
The movie Reservation Road was filmed at Cove Island Park! You can see the park in the opening scene, which shows an outdoor concert, and also in a big scene near the end of the movie.
