We, the undersigned, in the interest of keeping the Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center property peaceful and safe, are petitioning the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) to fix their fence and reinstall No Trespassing signs along the property border that is shared with Holy Family.

The highway and the Farmington “stacks” that were built over 40 years ago as part of a greater Hartford highway interchange loop were abandoned as soon as they were built. People in the area have long accessed the property to explore and to cause mischief. It is common knowledge that there is access to the State property from Holy Family property, and barely a weekend goes by that local or State police are not called because of trespassers.

Over the years, Holy Family property has been vandalized: lights have been broken; trees have been spray painted with graffiti; religious iconography have been spray painted with satanic symbols. This vandalism has likely been done by those individuals that are passing through to the State property.

Holy Family has 50 acres of land, providing peace and tranquility to the nearly 20,000 people that come to the campus every year. Area residents are encouraged to come and be at peace and enjoy the tranquil grounds. Holy Family wants these guests to feel safe, and part of providing a safe place is to discourage anyone from coming to the property to use it for activities other than for what it is intended. We strongly urge the DOT to fix the fence, to deter further activity of trespassing on and vandalism of Holy Family property.

Press the DOT to make this project a priority; please sign this petition.

Important note: If you would like to donate to Holy Family to support upgrades to their security initiatives, go to www.holyfamilyretreat.org/security 

Donations made through change.org do not go to Holy Family.