A somber note leads this Week in Review, as dozens of town residents and officials joined the late Briggs Geddis’ family Thursday for a celebration of the longtime New Canaan environmental health director’s life.
Held in Waveny House’s Great Hall, where a standing-room-only crowd heard tributes to Geddis from his widow and children, the gathering included a slideshow of photos from throughout the lift of the deceased.
A photo from a slideshow at a celebration of Briggs Geddis’ life, held Aug. 7 at Waveny House.
Geddis, a Ridgefield resident who died July 16 at age 76 from cancer, about one year after the discovery of a brain tumor, was remembered as a resourceful, playful and thoughtful man of eclectic interests who was absolutely devoted to his family, and who found his calling here in New Canaan.
Town Talker
An effort to preserve a ca. 1835 barn as a guesthouse took a step forward this week, as the Zoning Board of Appeals granted a homeowner relief from a rule that would have prevented the historic structure’s re-designation.
This ca. 1835 barn is part of a 3.8-acre property on Country Club Road. Its owners are planning to sell and are seeking approval to convert it into a guesthouse. Credit: Terry Dinan
The property at 340 Country Club Road will go on the market soon and early prospective buyers are asking whether the prominent, restored structure fronting the road is a guesthouse. It is and it isn’t—though it’s been used as such, it has no kitchen because the barn has never received the designation, and the last effort (from about 11 years ago) to do so, failed to materialize, in part, because at that time preserving historic structures such as barns wasn’t written so directly into New Canaan’s zoning regulations.
The next step is to bring an application before P&Z (which meets Aug. 26).
Business
Though August typically is a very slow month downtown, the heart of New Canaan is seeing plenty of activity here in the dog days.
Inside the newest business on Elm Street, Jade is a boutique women’s active wear shop. Credit: Michael Dinan
A boutique women’s fitness wear shop, Jade—which for 18 months has built its reputation and popularity in neighboring Darien—opened for business on Tuesday. It’s at 7 Elm St.
Two doors up is Elm Street Books, where we dropped by to get a sense of what New Canaanites are reading this summer, and all the way at the other end, we spoke to Steve Karl of Karl Chevrolet about the lasting success of the dealership and repair shop.
We also profiled a local woman who has launched a consignment business and talked to New Canaan Olive Oil’s owner about her plans to open a second shop in Westchester.
Inside the New Canaan Food Pantry at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. Credit: Michael Dinan
New Roles
The increasingly important New Canaan Food Pantry will remain at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, longtime host of the volunteer-run agency, though now the town (which formally is overseeing it) will use the space there under a lease.
New Canaan Library, weighing the infrequent use of the pre-Internet reference desk against what its patrons are seeking, carved out a new “reader’s advisor” role to help make recommendations on all types of materials to visitors.
Finally, district and town officials are forming an official building committee to oversee the Saxe Middle School auditorium renovation— a highly anticipated, $2 million project that drew wide support from parents and others during the most recent budget season.
Home work
New homes are going up on Brooks and White Oak Shade Roads, while a plan to put an addition onto a Marshall Ridge Road home earned praise from neighbors.
Alligator Turtle. Contributed
Public safety
Police investigated a report of a ‘reptile’ at Mill Pond—it is thought that the animal spotted there could be a relatively rare “alligator turtle,” which has scales and ridges in its shell.
New Canaan Police ticketed nine more motorists—this time downtown—for distracted driving, and police are investigating reports of a stolen lamppost as well as jewelry from private properties.