Cove Island Park is a beach in The Cove

Cove section of Stamford, Connecticut

The Cove section of Stamford, Connecticut, usually called "The Cove" is an area of mostly modest homes in the southeast corner of Stamford, Connecticut....

 section of Stamford, Connecticut

Stamford, Connecticut

Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...

, located on Long Island Sound

Long Island Sound

Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...

. It is a popular spot for residents of Stamford to go rollerblading, biking and walking, as well as enjoy barbecues and ride the tram around the island.

Since 2000 the park has been the headquarters of SoundWaters, a nonprofit environmental education organization that offers a free small aquarium, music, canoe trips, school trips and family activities on land and aboard an 80 feet (24.4 m) schooner.

Outside the entrance of the park, there is a rink known as the Terry Conners Ice Rink, where children usually skate in the winter, take skating lessons, or even reserve the rink for special occasions, such as birthdays. A bit behind the rink, there is also a nature walk, but it has long been out of commission, with no attempts to repair it. (update)After many years of effort and repairs the tract of land behind and around Terry Conners rink has been turned into an Important Bird Area (IBA) -- one of the first eight IBA's in Connecticut. Inside the Sanctuary entrance, visitors will find an information kiosk featuring brochures, seasonal photos of the flora and fauna, and a chalkboard to share new bird sightings. Beyond the kiosk is a 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) native grass and wildflower meadow encircled by a handicap-accessible visitors' path that also leads to a beach-side viewing area from which visitors can observe shorebirds without encroaching upon Stamford's last undeveloped sand dune. The meadow path also connects to a rugged trail which winds through woods along the west border of the Park. To date, sightings of close to 300 bird species have been recorded in the Park area!

The movie Reservation Road

Reservation Road

Reservation Road is a 2007 film directed by Terry George and based on the book of the same title by John Burnham Schwartz, who, along with George, adapted the novel for the screenplay. The film, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Ruffalo, deals with the aftermath of a tragic car accident...

was filmed at the park, including the opening scene of an outdoor concert and a climactic scene near the end. Weed Avenue, just north of the park, was used in two scenes where a character jogs.

External links

• http://www.stamfordhistory.org/covefire.htm Article on manufacturing at the site of Cove Island Park (Stamford Historical Society newsletter)