Government

Williams: New Canaan’s ‘Fields Committee’ Should Have More People on It

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The town should increase the number of people sitting on a committee that makes decisions about athletic field’s usage in New Canaan, according to Selectman Nick Williams.

Currently, the Fields Committee is composed of three members—Public Works Director Tiger Mann, Parks and Recreation Director John Howe and New Canaan High School Athletic Director Jay Egan. Two additional members of the public with “an interest in athletics” should join them, Williams said at the July 11 Board of Selectmen meeting. “I’m not saying that the Fields Committee hasn’t done a good job—I’m a huge supporter of Jay Egan, always have been,” Williams said at the meeting, held in Town Hall and via videoconference. “We do have only so many fields, and I think we need to look carefully at how those fields are used.”

The comments came during a portion of the meeting dedicated to general matters before the town. First Selectman Kevin Moynihan also was in attendance.

Avery Cotton

NCHS Student Details Bird Population Trends for Conservation Commission

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The NewCanaanite.com Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Carriage Barn Arts Center. A New Canaan High School student’s recent analysis of bird population data shows an increase in recent years of two species. According to an analysis by rising senior Avery Cotton, New Canaan has seen a sharp rise in the number of turkey vultures and fish crows sighted here. “The hypothesis behind this steep increase was that these species which had previously been accustomed to different climates, or southern warmer weather,” Cotton told members of the Conservation Commission at their July 13 meeting, held in Town Hall and via videoconference. “They were expanding their ranges northboard because temperatures were warming around here, and that accommodated their specific needs.”

Cotton—an avid birdwatcher and member of the University of Connecticut’s Conservation Ambassador program, part of Uconn’s Natural Resources Conservation Academy—based his analysis on more than 1,200 individual handwritten checklists found at the New Canaan Nature Center, spanning 1977 to 1992, all compiled on a monthly basis.

Around Town

Fate of Historic 82-Foot Oak Tree Uncertain After Major Branch Collapses on Route 106

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Heavy wind and rain brought down a massive branch belonging to one of New Canaan’s largest and most historic trees on Sunday, causing traffic delays and damaging several power lines. Department of Public Works officials have since removed the large branch from Route 106, though its remains can still be seen in the form of log piles next to Bristow Park’s main entrance. It’s still not yet clear whether or not the rest of the tree will be removed. 

Tiger Mann, head of DPW, said that the decision would come down to the state arborist and the town tree warden, both of whom he has already contacted. “If they deem it a hazard, it can come down immediately,” Mann said. “If not, if they were going to remove it, then it would need to be posted for 10 days by state statute, but again, if it’s deemed a hazard tree, it can be removed for obvious reasons.”

Located by the entrance to Bristow, the 82-foot-tall white oak has been recognized by Connecticut’s Notable Trees Committee.

Drew Magratten

Town Upholds $80 Ticket for Parking in Crosswalk

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Town officials last month upheld an $80 ticket issued to a Pound Ridge, N.Y. man who parked in a Main Street crosswalk. David Rosenbloom received the ticket outside of Greenology at the corner of East Avenue at 1:54 p.m. on April 26 (a Wednesday). Saying he’s a frequent visitor to New Canaan, Rosenbloom claimed that the signage did not properly indicate where parking was permitted. During his June 14 appeal hearing before the Parking Commission, said that at the time, an arrow indicating the direction of a nearby 15-minute parking zone was not present on the sign, and had only been added after he received a ticket. He also told the Commission that he was only parked for a short period.

Around Town

‘It’s a Beautiful Pool’: Residents Flock to Steve Benko Pool at Waveny Amid Heat, Humidity

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The NewCanaanite.com Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Carriage Barn Arts Center. With temperatures topping 90 degrees, and a feel temperature of more than 100 degrees, the Steve Benko Pool at Waveny is drawing hundreds of visitors on many days this summer. At midday recently, New Canaan resident Ally Pastushan joined dozens of other parents at the pool watching their kids compete in a meet between Newfield Swim Club and Waveny Gator Swim Team. “We love the pool, we moved to New Canaan about 12 years ago and the improvements they’ve made have been wonderful,” Pastushan said. “Between the big umbrellas they have, the fact that they provide chairs, the snack bar and everything, big improvements over where it was.” 

While the chairs, umbrellas, and snack bar all remain popular fixtures of the pool, John Howe, the director of the Parks and Recreation Department, said that the public will probably not realize the effort his department puts into keeping the pool open. 

“Unfortunately, not a lot of improvements that the public would see,” Howe said when asked about what changes have been made.