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03/22/2018 12:01 AMThe North Branford Land Conservation Trust recently lost a valuable founding member, an avid proponent for open space, and a wonderful friend. Edmund Robert “Bob” Gregan served the North Branford Land Conservation Trust (NBLCT) continuously since its founding in 1968, a period of 47 years, beginning as a vice president of the organization and continuing as a director. He died Jan. 31.
A resident of North Branford, Gregan served as chairman of the Land Trust and Conservation Commission. In this position, he was extremely active in the design of many municipal sites, including parks, open spaces, and the town center. He was an ardent supporter of land conservation and gave his full attention to projects undertaken by the land trust and the Town of North Branford when his expertise was requested. Gregan was incredibly detail-oriented in everything he did. He was relentless when undertaking any task, earning the nickname “Bull” by his peers.
One of Gregan’s most enduring gifts was an architect’s plan for North Farms Park soon after the land was acquired from the New Haven Water Company by the town in the mid-1970s. The design, enjoyed by many today, includes recreation fields, a pavilion, a parking area, a bridge over the Branford River, and trails through woodlands that cover all of the land east of the river.
In 2010, when the president of NBLCT, Edward Pantini, died, Gregan was instrumental in rejuvenating NBLCT and ensuring its continuation. The organization has since grown from a small group of six to more than a hundred members, with an active board of directors, and more than 250 acres of protected open space. For more information about NBLCT, visit www.nblandtrust.org or find the group on Facebook.