NORWALK – The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute is partnering with Manresa Wilds to bring cutting edge science to the proposed Manresa Island development with the installation of an acoustic water level sensor.
WHOI has installed the sensor on the Manresa Island dock – completing a triangle of monitoring points in the Norwalk Harbor (with the other two sensors located at the Maritime Aquarium and Sheffield Island). This partnership is part of efforts by Manresa Island Corp. – the non-profit bringing the long-abandoned site back to life as a publicly accessible park.
Using the data collected from the sensors, WHOI can measure tides and local water levels to better understand what drives hyperlocal flooding as coastal flooding becomes a more frequent concern for Norwalk residents.
The $120 million project, made possible by a donation from city residents and philanthropists Austin and Allison McChord, is designed to transform the old Norwalk Harbor generating station. Scheduled to open in phases starting this year, Manresa Wilds will transform 1.75 miles of Long Island Sound coastline into a vibrant, publicly accessible waterfront park — connecting residents to the shores of Manresa for the first time in nearly 75 years.
On Feb. 19 Manresa Island Corp will unveil its final vision for the 125-acre publicly accessible community park in Norwalk with landscape architect SCAPE and architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group. Leading the presentation will be Austin and Allison McChord, Gena Wirth from SCAPE, and Jeremy Siegel from BIG. The event will take place at 6 p.m. at The Maritime Aquarium, a partner in the project.
It will be led by Manresa Island Corp. Executive Director Jess Vonashek, the McChords, SCAPE Design Principal and Partner Gena Wirth and Bjarke Ingels Group Urban Designer and Architect Jeremy Alain Siegel.
