This past week saw several major projects—of vastly different types—come to fruition, and that’s the theme of this Week in Review for New Canaan.
While the parents of at least one standout New Canaan student-athlete watched their son commit to Northwestern University as a high school junior, one NCHS grad saw video tributes to his dad, a long time science teacher there, pour in from former students and colleagues (part of a birthday present project).
Back row, L-R: Gabi Ewen, 10, of Seattle, Chloe Oyekanmi, 8, second-grader at South School, Angela Oyekanmi, Jaden Oyekanmi, 8, also a second-grader at South (twins), Jacob Kozar, 7, second-grader at West School. From row: Maiah Oyekanmi, 10, South School fourth-grader, Sky Oyekanmi.
A family transplanted from Seattle is happy with their big cross-country move (sealed with golden retriever, how else?), while our softball girls were smiling on notching their first win of a FCIAC title-defending season.
Looking along the outfield fence at Gamble Field with Mellick behind it.
One developer’s capital project at Jelliff Mill took a major step toward completion, to the disappointment of some, while a small capital project at Spencer’s Run could someday provide more shade for Waveny dogs.
The town’s youth also are beneficiaries of local projects—one at Mead Park’s little league baseball fields, the other culminating in a high school band and Summer Theater of New Canaan show next month.
Town Talker
Officials at Mrs. Green's told NewCanaanite.com April 18 in a public thread on Twitter—http://bit.ly/1pgLsLz—that the garage underneath pictured here is being fixed up and will be open next week for customers and shoppers.
Still another long-term project that came to fruition this past week was the opening of Mrs. Green’s in the former post office building. NewCanaanite.com profiled one area business owner whose organic foods for babies and toddlers are sold in the store, and then after opening, opened up the widely discussed question of just where people will park to shop there. Police say they’re anticipating squabbles with Walgreens, while Mrs. Green’s has assured us that this coming week the underground parking at its Pine Street location (about 30 spaces) will be made available for customers.
Business
Our local business community took center stage more than once on the news from this week.
In the wake of the hugely popular Caffeine & Carburetors debut, police officials in New Canaan are calling for a far more formal event that its creators had envisioned, saying that’s needed to ease traffic, minimize headaches, preempt complaints and guarantee safety.
New Canaanites have been greeted by Bob Watters at Forest Street Deli for more than 20 years, and for more than half of that time they've also seen Jessica Bonestell at the downtown fixture. Friday April 18 is its last day. Wishing Bob the best of luck in the next chapter ...
Last week also marked the last for a New Canaan fixture. The popular Forest Street Deli with its gregarious on-site owner, Bob Watters, shuttered its doors Friday afternoon as construction at the retail-and-residential development there finally is meant to get underway this summer. We talked to Watters ahead of time and then checked in on the last day (he had nice weather for golfing Saturday, so there’s that).
Thursday of last week also marked exactly five years since the leader of the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce took the reins there. Business and town officials say chamber Executive Director Tucker Murphy, together with the marketing associate she brought on, Laura Soper Budd, is responsible for not just promoting local merchants and championing our small-town heritage, but creating a sense of connectedness that has become a positive, enviable, singular and defining characteristic of New Canaan.
Silver Hill Hospital head of facilities Frank Morabito (L) with Dr. Sigurd Ackerman, president and medical director.
Land Use
New Canaanites traveling northeast along 106 won’t have to say “I’ll call you back in like two minutes” any more when they cross the Silvermine River after Valley Road. Why? Because, at long last, construction on a cell tower that will sit on Silver Hill Hospital property is underway. AT&T and Verizon will use the monopole set back in a wooded area on a ridge on the psychiatric hospital’s campus.
On the other side of town, one of New Canaan’s oldest, a home that preservationists here have called historically significant came down, as we reported Monday. The view from Jelliff Mill Road at the Noroton River is changing every day as construction crews work to complete the “Jelliff Mill Falls” project. It will see a total of 10 units (half of which are sold) along and set back from the bank of the pond above the classic New Canaan waterfall.
Carlos Guzman at work in his studio. Contributed photo
Coming Up
Absolut Kuba!: On Thursday, Carriage Barn Arts Center will launch “Absolut Kuba!”—a new exhibition of contemporary Cuban art that’s been collected for three decades by Greenwich’s Steve Certilman, a Stamford attorney with whom we spoke about his interest in the artwork and vast collection.
National Arbor Day: At 10 a.m. on Friday in Mead Park, New Canaan will mark Arbor Day by planting a tree in memory of Richard Reifers, who died earlier this year. The ceremony will be held at the southwest corner of the pond, across from the large ball field. Selectman Beth Jones will present the proclamation.
Here’s some information from the town’s Public Tree Board about this year’s honoree:
“Mr. Reifers was known as an avid gardener who initiated and designed New Canaan’s ‘mail garden’—the mailboxes and plantings across from the former post office site on Pine Street. He collaborated with George Valchar, author of ‘My Connecticut Garden,’ who selected and maintained the plantings for over 14 years before turning it over to the Garden Center, now the New Canaan Beautification League, in 2007.”
Fundraising Effort for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s 2014 Man & Woman of the Year candidate: New Canaan’s Cheryl Henchar, owner of Cheryl’s Creative Services, is raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and is a candidate for the nonprofit organization’s Woman of the Year. She’s raising money to honor a leukemia survivor in her family, and on Saturday, 10 percent of sales at Ten Thousand Villages will go toward her effort.
National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day: NewCanaanite.comrecently ran a three-part series on heroin here in town, and experts including from New Canaan’s Silver Hill Hospital agree that the problem most often starts when opioids such as prescription painkillers are available for experimenting youth in their parents’ unlocked medicine cabinets. Two Saturdays from now, April 26, New Canaan Police and Walgreens down on Pine Street are participating in a DEA-led effort to preempt the problem. Here’s some information about National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day from NCPD:
“On Saturday, April 26th from 10am-2pm, potentially dangerous, expired, unused, and unwanted prescription and over the counter medications will be collected for destruction at Walgreens located at 36 Pine Street, New Canaan. The service is free and anonymous. Prescription and over the counter medications will be accepted. Intra-venous solutions, injectables and needles will NOT be accepted. Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine are not part of this initiative. As some are aware, the New Canaan Police Department has a medication drop box located in in the lobby of the police department. This drop box is available to the community throughout the year, 24/7.”