Public access to Branford’s Sliney Field via Sliney Road, and use of the fields as well as public parking, will not be disrupted by construction work which began last week to bring in the redevelopment of Parkside Village One.

Located at 115 South Main St., Parkside is owned by Branford Housing Authority (BHA) and is being redeveloped by Beacon Communities LLC (MA). The current complex will be demolished. The site will be redeveloped with the construction of a single building with 67 units as an assisted housing development under Connecticut General Statutes § 8-30g. According to Beacons’ properties update at parksidevillagebc.com, construction is expected to be completed in the summer of 2024.

Last week, construction crews set up safety fencing along a section of South Montowese Street incorporating land with Parkside’s vacant Building A, which will come down first; and along the property’s stretch of tree-filled land and rocky outcropping bounded on one side by Sliney Road.

In February, Branford's Representative Town Meeting approved BHA’s grant of a public access easement to the Town to continue public use of a portion of Sliney Road which is BHA-owned property.

“Throughout the approval was the importance of maintaining access and parking for our fields,” said First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove, speaking with Zip06/The Sound on Sept. 30. “Not only will our fields be available for play, but also access and parking will be available, throughout construction.”

Another agreement involved BHA transferring ownership of a section of Parkside land falling within Sliney Field to the Town of Branford.

“With that, we are ensuring that those will always remain town fields,” said Cosgrove.

Sliney Field is home town playing fields used by Branford Little League. The fields back up to Branford’s Foote Park on Melrose Avenue.