The non-profit Committee to Save the Bird Homestead recently was awarded a Long Island Sound Futures Fund grant to construct a kayak access point behind two adjoining historic properties on Milton Road, the Bird Homestead and the Meeting House.

The non-profit Committee to Save the Bird Homestead recently was awarded a Long Island Sound Futures Fund grant to construct a kayak access point behind two adjoining historic properties on Milton Road, the Bird Homestead and the Meeting House. Of 35 grants awarded by the Fund in New York and Connecticut, the Bird Homestead was the only Westchester-based recipient. The grant funds come from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Committee was awarded its full requested amount of $10,000.

 

The project will design and construct a kayak access point for free public use behind the Bird Homestead-Meeting House historic area, which borders Blind Brook as it enters Long Island Sound at Milton Harbor. The grant also supports the removal of invasive plants and the installation of educational signage about Long Island Sound along the access path. The Committee to Save the Bird Homestead (CSBH) plans to sponsor educational kayak tours about the ecology and history of the shoreline.

 

The proposed launch will be constructed primarily of salvaged lumber. No chemically treated wood will be used. Walter Sedovic Architects of Irvington are contributing their design services pro bono. The project is expected to take one year to complete, starting with the permitting process. Kayakers will then be able to launch or tie-up for a while and visit the historic sites and take advantage of the eateries in close walking distance.

 

“We are thrilled with this award and very grateful to the Long Island Sound Futures Fund,” said CSBH President Anne Stillman, who wrote the grant proposal. “A kayak launch has been part of our vision for these important historic and environmental properties from the beginning.” She added, “We want to increase public access to the Sound, help build support for its protection, and teach about this great environmental resource, which has defined the history of our region.”

 

The Committee will continue to raise matching funds through its popular “Sing for the Sound” concert series.