Danbury officials have met with state agencies about the City's plan for creating a walled garden at Hearthstone Castle. The concept was developed in a 2013 study partially funded by the state. A Historian/Environmental Reviewer/Freedom Trail & W3R coordinator from the state Department of Economic and Community Development State Historic Preservation Office and members of the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation agree that the proposal is the best use for the historic ruin.
Danbury residents will be voting on Election Day in a Bond referendum. The $10 million Public Improvement Bond contains $1.6 million for improvements to Tarrywile Park. Some of that funding will go toward preparation of detailed design and construction plans for the walled garden. If approved, the funding will also pay for removal of the contaminated debris, stone removal, and stabilization of adjacent rock retaining walls.
Stability of the exterior walls of the Castle has to be analyzed once the debris is removed. Initial structural reports have shown that the interior floors and roof collapsed into the basement leading to a continued deterioration of exposed interior masonry.
State officials agreed that final wall height can only be determined after analysis once the debris is removed. Additional funding from state or federal sources will be sought for the work.
