What else can you do?

New Britain Common Council Address:
27 West Main Street, New Britain, CT 06051

Meetings take place 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at 7pm except July, August, November and December. Those months take place on the 2nd Wednesday of the month only.

There is street parking or a parking garage. The common council chambers are located on the second floor. Plan to arrive a couple minutes early to sign your name on the piece of paper to talk. At the beginning of the meeting they will call your name to go up and speak. You have 3 minutes. Once you are done talking you sit back down. Members of the common council will then address those that speak if they wish to. There is a 5 minute recess before the rest of the meeting starts where they may talk to you personally and vice versa. You are welcome to leave before the rest of the meeting starts.

Here is a link to a recent meeting where RMF board members went and spoke.

If you are looking to attend a meeting, please reach out to Jen or Kyle. They can answer any questions and may be able to accompany you to a meeting.

Below is a script you may use or reference when planning your talking points.

Directions:
Make a copy and edit the highlighted areas to your personal experiences
You have a total of 3 minutes speaking time. It is helpful to practice the speech beforehand to make sure it is under 3 minutes.

Hello, members of the council. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today. My name is [Your Name], and I’m here as a representative of our community’s climbers who are seeking access to an area we refer to as Bradley Boulders. Which is located on your water department’s property by Crescent Lake in Southington, CT

Bradley boulders last year was enforced as not allowed by the New Britain Water Department. Climbing there started back in the 1970s and is one of the Northeast’s destination climbing spots. Bringing in people from nearby states. And for good reason. It is highly concentrated making it accessible for the new climber to the elite. 

And as you may know, recreation outdoors, like climbing, provides numerous benefits, from promoting physical and mental well-being to fostering community engagement and enhancing our connection to nature. [BRIEF mention of how climbing has positively affected your life] 

Currently, access to outdoor spaces is more crucial than ever, especially as more people are finding the life changing benefits of climbing outdoors. Climbing isn’t just a random thing we do—it’s a chance to spend time with loved ones, improve personal health, and even support our local economy. Climbers love to eat, grab a drink, and hangout after a day of climbing. This means hitting up local businesses and restaurants sharing their experiences from the day. 

Studies show that when communities have access to outdoor spaces, they tend to experience lower rates of physical and mental health issues, which ultimately reduces the burden on our healthcare system. While I am here talking about climbing specifically, it wouldn’t just be for climbers, but other passive outdoor recreation activities as well. People that are looking to recreate in nature and get those health benefits. Like decreased stress, depression, and anxiety.

A starting point to open access to Bradley Boulders could be sharing your concerns and working on possible solutions with the Ragged Mountain Foundation. They have addressed concerns and come up with solutions with other land owners, like Meriden and DEEP.

We respectfully ask the council to consider the profound benefits that come with allowing recreation in this area. By doing so, we not only serve current residents but also future generations who will benefit from having accessible, well-maintained spaces to explore and enjoy.

Thank you once again for your time and consideration. We’re hopeful that, together, we can create a sustainable and inclusive recreation space that benefits our entire community.