Parks, Sports & Recreation

PARKS in WESTVILLE:FOEP Signature Picture.jpg

Edgewood Park Edgewood Park offers sports fields for soccer, baseball, rugby and basketball,with leagues and pickup games. Nature programs, playgroups, ranger hikes and rec programs in the park year round. Friends of Edgewood Park 

 

West Rock Ridge State Park - "THE ROCK"- West Rock is the giant Basalt cliff that defines most views of Westville, and is twin to East Rock. West Rock Park offers nature trails, hiking, mountain biking, boating and fishing on Lake Wintergreen, bird watching and the famous "Judges Cave" a local hideout of 3 regicides, Dixwell, Whalley & Goffe, who signed the death warrant for England's Charles I.

Beecher Park - Many people do not realize that the area surrounding Mitchell Branch Library on Harrison Street in Westville is a New Haven City Park. Beecher Park is named for Ebenezer B. Beecher, a Westville manufacurer, who built his estate  on these grounds from 1852 until around 1900. Many of the specimen trees Mr. Beecher brought to his estate survive today. In 2009, Block Watch 303 with support from the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, developed a map of the Beecher Park grounds. You can download and print this  map from an attachment at the bottom of this page. Use the "back arrow" to return to this page from the attachment.

 

BIKING

Biking is popular in Westville and all over New Haven. Many people bike to work. The buses and trains have bike racks,and there are bike racks at the train station and outside many local buildings. Elm City Cycling is a bike riding and advocacy group.  Bike events in New Haven include regular ECC rides, the New Haven Century in June, and the Rock to Rock charity ride.

Don't like to bike on the street? There are many off street biking trails.

Notes/Tips on biking: 

  • DO NOT ride your bicycle on the sidewalk, as it is illegal to do so everywhere in New Haven!  You may be fined if you are seen by the police, and you're also giving every cyclist who is doing the right thing a bad name.  Riding on the sidewalk is also many times more dangerous than riding on the road with traffic, as traffic. 
  • Motorists do not expect to see a cyclist riding through a crosswalk -- they are looking for vehicles in the street, where they belong. 
  • You are allowed the full lane when you're on a bike, and don't let motorists tell you otherwise.  Ride with traffic, as traffic.  
  • Always wear a helmet that fits snugly and is level on your head, and use proper hand signals when turning or changing lanes. 
  • To avoid being knocked into traffic, try not to ride alongside parked cars too closely. 
  • When riding at night, by law, you must use front and rear lights on your bike. 
  • When riding downtown, always ride in the far right lane whenever possible, and give yourself about a block for each lane you have to merge into.  When there is room for cars to pass, ride as close to the right side as you can.  When the lane is too narrow for cars and bikes to share the lane, move to the center and "take the lane".  Above all, ride and drive courteously and stay safe, Westville.     -- Josh Smith, of Elm City Cycling

Tennis

Tennis is a favorite in Westville with many tennis courts, in Edgewood Park, Cullman courts and the CT Tennis Center @ Yale, home of the annual Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament in August. See more Tennis in Westville

Yale Athletic Fields & Facilities in Westville

Yale facilities include the Armory, Cox Cage (Track), Cullman Courts (Tennis), Yale Golf Course, Polo and Equestrian Center, Yale Bowl (Football), Yale Field (Baseball), Rugby, soccer and softball fields. Many are open to area residents for fee-based use, and most games, except football, are free to attend as spectators. Football general admission tix are inexpensive ($8-10, free to those with Yale ID) and festive tailgating is encouraged.

Attached Files   

Beecher Park Brochure F09Finals.pdf ktb0811 Oct 28, 2009 13.94 MB
Beecher Park Brochure