Letters to the Editor

NewCanaanite.com recently received the following letters. Send letters to editor@newcanaanite.com to have them published here.

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I would like to express my appreciation to the Town Council for its decision not to approve the budget for Main Street parking. I would also like to thank Carl Franco for organizing the petition, which I believe played an important role in informing the Council’s decision. 

While many of us remain hopeful that the town may eventually reconsider its decision regarding paid parking on Elm Street, it seems unlikely that this will happen in the near term. In the meantime, local retailers are already feeling the impact. Many residents have shared that they are choosing not to shop in town due to the parking situation. Others report that if they cannot find a spot after circling Elm Street a few times, they simply drive to neighboring towns such as Westport. 

I would like to respectfully address those residents.  As evidenced by the number of merchants who signed the petition, local businesses were not in favor of the paid parking initiative. Choosing to shop elsewhere ultimately penalizes the very businesses that had no role in this decision. Retail activity in town had already been declining, and the introduction of paid parking has only intensified those challenges.

Personally, my store’s year-to-date revenue is down substantially and I have had to rely on outside funds to cover operating expenses. This is not a sustainable model. 

Many retailers are experiencing similar hardships, with some going days without a single sale. These realities underscore how critical local support is to the survival of our business community. 

To residents considering shopping in other towns, I urge you to reconsider. Likewise, to those who default to online retailers such as Amazon, I ask that you think about the broader impact of those choices. Local businesses contribute to the fabric of this community in ways that large online companies cannot—whether by supporting local charities, donating to school events, or providing personalized service. 

I respectfully ask the residents of New Canaan to continue supporting local businesses. The vitality of our downtown depends on the collective support of its community.

Sincerely,

Claudette Rothman, owner of CLAUDETTE

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Dear Editor,

This Wednesday April 22nd marks the 56th Anniversary of Earth Day.

Photos taken from the recent Artemis II mission by NASA help us remember the unique beauty of our planet Earth. Billions of people now live on this planet we call home, along with millions of other species. Earth Day is a reminder to us to appreciate and care for our world. There are many ways we can take small actions to contribute to a better world, such as limiting our waste of food, plastic, and energy. Turning off the lights when you leave a room in your house, starting a compost pile in your garden, and reusing or recycling items that you purchase are just some of the ways you can make an impact.

Thankfully many organizations in our community take meaningful action to enhance and protect the beauty of our town, and right now you can help us too.

This week we have been asked to help make our town more beautiful for spring with the longstanding Clean Your Mile Program. More information can be found on the Town website: newcanaan.info in the “news” section. 

Please help in any way you can.

Many thanks,

Christina Fagerstal