Community Corner

RDA Annual Meeting Slated for May 22

The library is hosting the meeting.

The annual meeting of the Rockville Downtown Association is scheduled for May 22 at the Rockville Public Library.

"Social Time and Treats" will be featured from 6:30 to 7 p.m. and the meeting will be called to order at 7 p.m., according to a notice sent out by the RDA.

THe RDA was recently the subject of an intense debate on the Town Council floor after some Republicans voted to take $5,000 deignated forit out of next year's budget. 

One major project the RDA has been overseeing is an effort with The Friends of the Hockanum River Linear Park Committee to spruce up the area around Hockanum Falls.

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The falls, located behind the Amerbelle and Ano-Coil plants in Downtown Rockville, are an industrial landmark that can be traced back to the height of the mill era in Vernon. A $10,000 grant administered by the Connecticut Main Street Center and the “Preservation of Place” program in cooperation with the Commission on Culture & Tourism with funds from the Investment Act of the State of Connecticut helped pay for the efforts.

The project was designed to clear brush and improve the view of the falls and pond area from the street.  The project has been dubbed '"Rediscover the Historic Hockanum Falls."

The site is made up of two waterfalls that represent the origin of the town and the system used in some of the earliest textile mills. In 1821, the main waterfall was known as "The Rock." It is a natural dam of solid stone that framed a high drop-off from the Hockanum River, that helped power '"Rock Mill"  and the McLean Woolen Factory, located just downstream, in 1823.

The falls were instrumental in the area of town being named Rockville.

Over the past several years, the area around the waterfalls had become overgrown and the brush blocked just about any view from the street. The project opened up a line of sight and created safe viewing areas.


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