Meet Wongy, The Lake Monster!

Have you met Wongy, the Lake Monster? Here's a little info on our slippery friend who lives deep below the surface of Lake Wangumbaug (Coventry Lake), but joins us on land and takes his responsibilities as Parks & Recreation Mascot VERY seriously:

Species: Opheodrys Vernalis “monstrous” (Smooth Green Snake “Monster”)

Official Name: Wangumbaug

Nickname: Wongy

Pronunciation: (WAHN-gee) rhymes with Longy

Birthplace: Coventry, CT

Birthday: June 17, 2013


Main Wongy

Habitat: Permanent body of water (Coventry Lake), dug-out underground areas such as caves, and can be found in woods and meadows

How to Identify: Green, yellow spots, light tan-/peach-colored tummy, grass-green scales along spine, slender, long tail, large and kind eyes, floating eyebrows, wears white gloves and red sneakers

Personality Characteristics: Can be shy at first (will try to hide) and then extremely outgoing, friendly, smart, intuitive, is excited around friends, compassionate, adventurous, super active, easygoing

Parents: Dean and Janine

Workplace: Coventry Parks and Recreation

Job Title: Mascot

Favorite Food: Ice Cream

Favorite Book: The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister

Favorite Color: Green

Favorite Subjects: Art, P.E., and English

Hobbies: Writing, reading, fishing, drawing/painting, horseback riding, hiking, water skiing, volunteering to help others, playing sports

Likes: Laying in the sun on rocks and logs, smelling flowers, being part of the first responder teams, making others laugh, lending a helping hand, seeking adventures

Hi Friends! My name is Wongy! Well, actually, my real name is Wangumbaug, but everyone calls me Wongy (it would rhyme with "Longy" if that were to be a word.). My parents named me after the Lake we live in, which means "Crooked Pond." Coventry has been quite a peaceful and cozy place to call home! Our cave is at the bottom of the Lake, which is only about 35 feet deep! If you look really closely while swimming, you might be able to see it. Want to hear something cool about my home, too? Our little cave was created by a retreating glacier that used to cover Coventry about 13,000 years ago! All that movement left cobbles and boulders that rest at the bottom. This comes in handy for protecting our home (& me and my parents) from any unwelcome disturbances. Sometimes my family and I like to spend time on shore, especially when we hear the ice cream truck swing by the parks in the summer. There's so much to do in Coventry! From visiting the Farmer's Market, to watching the Water Ski Show & Fireworks; from helping out at Camp Wangumbaug in the summer to strolling through our parks & hiking on our trails. I love to do it all! That's actually how I got the job as the Mascot for Parks & Recreation! Despite my size, they have recognized that I love to be a part of all things Coventry, especially when it comes to being active. My co-workers, boss and I are all part of a great team that help to being awesome and fun activities to you so you can enjoy our Town as much as I do! It also appears that my opposable thumbs come in handy for these activities, especially sports. My parents and others like me prefer to hibernate in the winter, but I cannot keep still for too long! Although summer is my favorite time of the year, there is no way I would want to miss out on all the fun winter activities like skiing, drinking hot chocolate and decorating for the holidays.

When first looking at me, most people think that I'm scary since I'm a smooth, green snake Lake Monster. This hurts my feelings because I'm not a "monster" at all! I'm very friendly and would love to be everybody's friend! I'm a bit shy at first, but once you get to know me, I am a ton of fun and love spending time with friends. I am open to new adventures and experiences, so if you'd like to join me and/or suggest a fun adventure, please do not hesitate to come say hi! I am super grateful to be a part of such a historically enriched town and I look forward to getting to know each of you!

Wongy Activity Pages (Printable)