EAST HAVEN – The site of a former Girl Scouts camp in East Haven could soon be an airsoft gun and paintball facility. The owner tells FOX 61 he wants to create a place for families to have fun together, but not all families are excited about the proposal.
Steven Serio Sr. is leasing the land off Sperry Lane in East Haven, which is a private road. He’s in the process of applying for a temporary special exception through the town in the hopes of creating an outdoorbattlefield there called Ares Milsim.
“Being a parent, our children don’t have anywhere to go,” said Serio. “Safety is our first and utmost priority with this piece of property. Secondly, we want to make sure that everybody enjoys themselves and has fun doing it.”
His website and Facebook page are already up and running, so he’s gaining plenty of interest from the public. But that’s also where Sperry Lane residents found out about the proposed facility, and got the impression it was a done deal without their say.
“I’m very upset about it, as well as my neighbors,” said Sperry Lane resident Anne Pacelli. “The only reason I found out about it is because a neighbor showed me something she had gotten off the Internet.”
Other neighbors FOX 61 spoke with said they do not have any issue with the facility in general, but said this is the wrong location because it is near their homes and just west of East Haven High School.
Pacelli said, “Somebody could actually come up to this camp with an actual gun. We feel it’s not a good place. It should be brought to maybe a farm or something like that where there aren’t families around.
Serio said he has a number of security measures and rules in place to make sure everyone stays safe on the grounds and on nearby properties.
“Everybody will be subject to a safety check. Whatever is brought on this property to be played with will be choreographed by a special machine to make sure that everything falls within the guidelines for the safety of our children, and meet our safety requirements to our gear,” explained Serio.
He said there will be power limitations on guns, and no drugs or alcohol allowed on the premises. Professional security staff will be assigned to guard the perimeter of the battlefield, and all games play will be at least 1,000 feet from the school.
“Everything is very organized. It is very structured,” he said.
The facility would only be temporary, because the land owner plans to build a development on the property in the coming years.
All of this has to be approved by the town of East Haven. Serio plans to present his proposal at the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on July 6, and again on August 3.
Serio welcomes anyone with concerns to contact him via his website in the meantime.
Serio said, “Reach out to me. Talk to me. Send me e-mails. I’m just here to be part of the community.”
