To the editor:

“Space, the final frontier”. No doubt most of you know that phrase was the opening for both the original Star Trek TV show and also Star Trek, the Next Generation. However, it’s not outer space I’m concerned with, but rather the space that is so desperately needed and that would be gained by tearing down the entire so-called Bristol Yarn Mill complex, or as I like to call it the Yarn Mill Mistake Complex.

Bristol does not need the influx of people and the attendant congestion in this section of town that will result from the present plans to make 127 residential units and 6,300 square feet of commercial space. I’m sure there are others who would much rather have an unobstructed view of the waterfront, or another park anchoring the south end of Thames Street like Independence Park at the north end. How about using some of the space to create parking that is so hard to find downtown? It would be a short walk to shops and restaurants or to the 4th of July concerts, the Waterfront Festival, the State Street Fair, concerts at St. Michael’s Church. Have you tried going to any of those events and trying to find someplace to park?

A section of this newly acquired land could be devoted to a permeable surface parking area where runoff would be controlled and diverted so as not to pollute our harbor. How about a fee-based, extended parking, section for those who live on Prudence Island so they wouldn’t have to find places to park on neighboring streets? Where do people park who have a boat docked at the new piers or others who simply want to go fishing from them? Will the new Yarn Mill do anything to alleviate these issues?

After reading the 8-page decision on the town website, my takeaway is that the the Town of Bristol gets the presently closed parking lot on the northeast corner of Thames and Church Street and permission to use some waterfront land as a continuation of the boardwalk culminating in the parking lot of the Elks Club. Aren’t we lucky? We also get all the traffic and loss of the meager parking that currently exists. I know others will talk about saving these buildings and the economic benefits to the town and following the comprehensive plan, etc.

To quote Bob Dylan: “Let us not talk falsely now, the hour’s getting late.”
This development is not being done out of sense of altruism but rather being done to make money for the developers. “Oh no, it won’t work if we tear down one of the buildings. Oh no, it won’t work if we can’t have so many units.” Now, there is nothing wrong with making money, and I have nothing against capitalism or historic preservation as anyone who knows me will tell you, having served on the very first HDC in the ‘80s, but I think we have perhaps a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to create something that would better serve both residents and visitors by not allowing this Yarn Mill Mistake to go forward.

I won’t go into the many environmental reasons why this should not be allowed such as rising sea levels. Those reasons have been very well stated in these pages by Mr. Patrick Borash of this town.

I call on our town officials to find a way to acquire this property either by eminent domain, floating a bond or a special town-wide referendum.

Ask yourself, would you rather walk along this section of waterfront on a boardwalk with a beautiful harbor-side park behind you, or with these massive buildings full of people and vehicles behind you for another 100 years?

Steve Mascena
381 High Street