Middletown reuse of Mile Lane military base

At the Monday evening meeting of the Mile Lane Base Closure Redevelopment subcommittee of the Council, a plan to use these 23 acres for a variety of functions related to public safety was unanimously approved. The property, at 499 Mile Lane, was first a Nike anti-aircraft base, and more recently an army reserve center.  It is slated to be returned to Middletown under the Base Relocation and Closure act of 2005.  If the proposed use of the land is for Public Safety, the city would receive the land for free.  

The committee considered two possible uses, one which was purely recreational (practise fields, nature walks, and a large number of tennis courts), and one which is focused on Public Safety (an emergency dispatch center, a fire station, an animal shelter, and a regional Fire Training School).  The motivation to use this land for a recreation use was the need for the facilities and its location immediately adjacent to the new High School. The motivation for a public safety use was the need for the facilities, and the fact that the state would cover all the fire station construction and equipping costs if it was built as part of the Regional Fire Training School. 

The unanimous approval by the redevelopment subcommittee now sends the recommendation to Common Council for a vote. This will occur at a September Common Council meeting. The reuse plan will then be submitted to the Army for approval.