News

Fundraising Efforts Underway for Second New Canaan Police K-9 Dog

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Members of the New Canaan Police Department announced in July via social media that they are kickstarting fundraising efforts to acquire a second K-9 dog. The town first established a K-9 unit in 1985 with a German Shepherd, Ex, but the program was disbanded in 1994 when Ex retired. With the help of donations from both residents and businesses, NCPD acquired the a K-9 in 2010, and has had Apollo for more than two years. Since then, there has been a push to expand the K-9 unit to include another dog. The department’s recent post on Instagram was another push for fundraising after a successful, recent round of direct mailings, according to Police Chief Leon Krolikowski.

News

Board of Selectmen Approves $94,500 Contract for New Mead Park Playground Equipment

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The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved a request from the Recreation Department at its regular meeting Tuesday morning to enter into a contract with outdoor recreation equipment supplier M.E. O’Brien & Sons for the renovation of the toddler playground area at Mead Park. The contract for $94,576 in construction costs includes $41,296 for equipment, $23,280 for site preparation and resurfacing, and $30,000 for installation and labor costs. The playground at Mead Park is a two-part project, according to Recreation Director Steve Benko. The first part of the project is being spearheaded by the Friends of Mead Park Playground, which was founded by two New Canaan moms, while the second part is being funded by the town in order to replace the section of the playground that houses equipment for children ages 18 months to five-years-old. “We went through the state contractor M.E. O’Brien, who put in the existing playground years ago, which the moms using the park have been a fan of,” Benko said at the meeting, which was held at Town Hall.

Around Town

‘It Helps Make the Park More Accessible’: Remade Trails at Waveny Near Completion

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Waveny visitors benefitting from a nonprofit organization’s efforts to improve trails at the popular park soon will have another new footpath to enjoy. The Waveny Park Conservancy’s long-standing plans to upgrade pedestrian paths alongside the main road through the park, from South Avenue to the main house, soon will be completed. “The old trails there are very worn down and basically dirt trails,” Conservancy board member and Parks & Recreation Commission Chair Sally Campbell said when asked about the project. “These new ones give it a good surface that can take a beating and helps runners stay out of the mud and tree roots, things like that,” Campbell said. “They’ve been very well utilized and well received by the public.”

The Board of Selectmen on July 10 unanimously approved a $45,800 contract with a New Canaan-based landscaping company to finish the final stretch of the trail, meaning park-goers starting at South Avenue can use it all the way into Waveny.

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Selectmen Approve Public Works Department’s Request to Create Plan for Nature Center Roof Project

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The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved a request from the Department of Public Works during its regular meeting Tuesday morning for $21,300 to enter a contract with consulting firm Fuss & O’Neill for a plan to make structural repairs to the roof of the New Canaan Nature Center Visitors’ Center building. An earlier engineering study identified that the cabling system supporting the roof within the Nature Center’s walls was a point of concern. The department cited “issues including adjustments on backing systems.”

Following the initial study, the engineer concluded that the structural integrity of the building is threatened by excessive tension on the cable system. “We need to solidify the roof…[the engineer] feels that the long term longevity of the building will be compromised if we don’t do something to help support that roof,” Public Works Director Tiger Mann said at the meeting, which was held at Town Hall. The original engineer has since switched firms to work with Fuss & O’Neill, which has local offices in Trumbull and Manchester, but Mann said that the department feels it’s important to be able to contract the individual who has previous “knowledge and drafts” of the project.

Around Town

New Canaan Merchants on Keeping Up Summer Business

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As we enter the end of July and August, many New Canaan residents will bear the beach, mountain, and city traffic for annual summer vacation trips. With the decreased foot traffic, many merchants routinely describe business as slow during this time. NewCanaanite went around town to some local businesses to see how they actively avoid the end of summer sales slump. Phil Williams, New Canaan Music

“How do we deal with the New Canaan Business Clear? We’re staying open our regular hours, a lot of businesses close for a week or reduce their hours, but we keep our lessons going year round.