NewCanaaanite.com recently received the following letter(s) to the editor. Please email letters to editor@newcanaanite.com for publication here.
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Why does The Planning and Zoning Commission allow mixed use buildings with retail space on the first floor to be built? Apparently this is the plan for the new structure on the corner of Cherry and Burtis. It is hard enough to fill retail space on Main and Elm Streets, as evidenced by the number of empty storefronts. We need to concentrate on attracting businesses to these key areas first, the heart of our downtown area..
—Kathleen N Patten
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In 2000, the New Canaan Beautification League undertook a large renovation of the hill at the train station under the guidance of then–president f and civic chairs Judy Jennings and Carol Diforio. The steps and the plaza area with benches were put in and plantings added.
The hill behind the train station in 2000. Photo courtesy of Faith Kerchoff
Twenty years later, NCBL started a project to rejuvenate the area but covid delayed the project start until recently.
Current presidents Jill Ernst and Robin Bates-Mason, along with civic chair Faith Kerchoff have been working to get this underway. The New Canaan Beautification League is funding the plants for this renovation in our commitment to ‘Keep New Canaan Beautiful’.
This project is a cooperative effort with the town. We are grateful to the Selectmen and to Tiger Mann, director of Public Works, and the DPW for their help in getting this project started. The town has begun the renovation by replacing the sidewalks with brick to match the downtown look, and removing the wooden fence. A new black iron fence will be erected soon. New light standards will also be added in the train station.
The hill behind the train station undergoing regrading in 2023. Photo courtesy of Faith Kerchoff
The hillside was full of invasive plants which were removed. The soil will be replaced with New Canaan’s own rich compost and regraded, a new irrigation system will be added, and some boulders for support as well.
The plaza where the Sept 11 flagpole was installed in 2002 will be regraded, made a little larger and barrier-free. Bluestone paths and new benches added. We have been mindful of retaining several wonderful plantings: a Stewartia tree, 3 or 4 star Magnolias, a yellow Magnolia ‘Elizabeth’, and a weeping Mulberry tree.
Two NCBL members, Barbara Wilson, Landscape Architect, and Ty Tan, Landscape Designer, have helped with the redesign. Ms.Wilson has done the hardscaping plans and Ms. Tan the plant design. Many native plants will be added which were not a focus 23 years ago. The goal is to have a natural look with lower maintenance that will provide four season interest. This will include shrubs like Cotinus, Deutzia, Hydrangea, Ilex, Juniper, Spirea and plants like Euphorbia, Amsonia, Sesleria, Alliums, Achillea, Heliopsis, Asters, Anemone, Spurge and Penstemon.
—submitted by Ginny Dobbs
I hope the massive rusted metal structure at the end of the rail line will be repainted before the station repair work is wrapped up. It is such an eyesore and will only detract from the lovely plantings that are planned. If it was painted to match the rust color of the station pillars it would blend in rather than stick out.
DPW will be repainting the trellis/catenary end block soon according to NCBL’s discussion with Tiger Mann. CTDOT/MNRR has given approval for the town to paint it and that was the hold up in the past. DPW could not just go in and paint without the approval of CTDOT/MNRR.
From the DPW: “DPW repainted the Gantry this past weekend, Saturday and Sunday. We had been looking to repaint the gantry for several years but it required a service outage due to the high voltage lines. We were able to capitalize on the rail line outage this Summer. We’d like to thank CTDOT Rails and MNRR for their cooperation and assistance.”
Thanks, Ginny, for this informative overview. For those who are wondering what’s going on with the train station (e.g., what happened to the old wooden fence?), this vital civic beautification project spearheaded by the New Canaan Beautification League is the answer. This and many other initiatives – hanging flower baskets, traffic triangles, the exceptional Lee Garden and the creation of holiday wreaths and gnomes – are part of the NCBL portfolio. The train station will be transformed by this hardworking, creative group, in cooperation with the Town. Thanks to the NCBL for it civic leadership.
The eyesore is no more! The CTDOT/MNRR is responsible for it and the town had to get permission from them paint the metal structure. Thanks DPW!
Great project! Thank you NCBL! Just to clarify, in 2000 NCBL undertook the train station hill renovation under the guidance of then-president Penny Mardoian and civic chairs Judy Jennings and Carol Diforio. Many thanks to Penny, Judy, and Carol for starting this 23 years ago!
The Beautification League deserves a huge thanks and round of applause for their efforts that we all enjoy every day . The lamp post baskets continue to be beautiful. The ‘triangles’ have been lovely all spring and summer as has the garden by the mailboxes across from the old Post Office.
I understand that we can look forward to additional tree plantings along South Ave
… and in the meantime there is a new garden happening on the train station hillside !!!! Thank you all !!!
( And those are only a partial list of their efforts.)