Quality of Life
Tolland was named by Money Magazine in 2005 as the 29th Best Place to live in the United States. The Town of Tolland is 40.4 square miles or 25,792 acres. Approximately 16% of the Town of Tolland has been permanently protected as open space; 95% of that is designated for passive use and 5% is for active use.
Quality of life is the primary reason cited by residents for their decision to live in Tolland. The top five specific characteristics cited, in descending order of importance, were: location, educational system, town character, character of residential developments and open space. Most people characterized Tolland as a rural community today and would like to see those characteristics retained. Residents clearly want their valued quality of life retained as the town grows.
Population:
The population remained between 1,000 and 1,700 for almost 200 years until the 1950’s. The population has since continued to grow reaching 2,900 in 1960; 7,859 in 1970; 9,694 in 1980; 11,001 in 1990; 13,146 in 2000 and is estimated as 14,500 in 2005. Projections for the upcoming decades show continued population growth in the town.
Educational System:
Tolland’s school system includes one new 56 million dollar public high school which opened in September 2006. The former high school has just been approved for renovations and it will become the new middle school for 7th & 8th grades and is slated to open in September 2007. At the present time we have one public middle school and two public elementary schools.
Places of Worship:
Tolland has five different churches: Church of Saint Matthew, First Baptist Church of Tolland, United Congregational Church of Tolland, River of Life Christian Fellowship, and Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Recreation:
- Three walking trails within conservation areas
- Campbell’s Peaceful Valley
- Shafran Conservation Area
- Weigold Open Space Conservation Area
Tolland is also home to Crandall Park which includes Crandall Pond for swimming, a sand beach, a pavilion that is available for rent, and baseball fields. Included within Crandall Park is Crandall Park II which has walking trails, soccer fields, and a lovely lakeside lodge - The Lodge at Crandall Park - which is available for rent for small gatherings including weddings and showers. You may click here for additional information regarding the pavilion and the Lodge. Â
Tolland also has several additional parks:
- Heron Cove which has fields for sports, hiking, ice skating and canoe access
- Cross Farms Recreation Complex which has numerous fields for sports
- River Park which has fields for sports
- Doris & Al Tobiassen Memorial Park which is part of Joshua’s Trust
Civic Organizations:
- Italian American Friendship Club
- Knights of Columbus
- Tolland Friends and Neighbors Club
- Tolland Jr. Women’s Club
- Tolland Lions Club
- Tolland Democratic Town Committee
- Tolland Republican Town Committee
It is this social network and diverse and warm population that creates the “village†aspect of Tolland. Our residents take pride in their neighborhoods, in their town, and in their institutions. It is a community that is generous and supportive of each other.
Â