The town’s decision regarding the New Canaan YMCA’s bid to host a gala at Waveny House next spring will depend, largely, on minimizing the number of days that large canopy tents are standing on the lawn out back, officials said last week.
A local organization held a big party there in 2001 and the seven tents needed for check-in, cocktails, dining and food service stayed up for about one week, “so we ended up with seven big yellow squares on the lawn at Waveny,” according to Recreation Director Steve Benko.
“It’s feasible,” Benko said at the Park & Recreation Commission’s regular meeting Wednesday, held at Lapham Community Center. “It can work.”
Led by Y member and gala co-chair Kelly DeFrancesco, the South Avenue organization told Park & Rec that the event would mark the end of its five-year capital campaign and renovation and expansion project.
Calling Waveny the “perfect” venue for the late-April 2017 gala, DeFrancesco said the evening would include 350 to 400 guests and feature a cocktail hour on the terrace, weather-permitting, a seated dinner, live auction and DJ and dancing.
“We anticipate a tent set-up based on our talks with [Stamford Tent Rentals] to date to take about three to five days, however we are willing to pay to expedite that process if you feel that is a necessity,” DeFrancesco said.
P&Z in April 2014 approved the Y’s estimated $20 million project on 37 conditions (see meeting minutes here). Construction started last fall, and is expected to wrap up in May 2017. The steel frame of the Y’s new areas are expected go up this coming week, according to a website that provides regular updates on the project.
Commissioners asked whether the Y has talked to representatives from New Canaan Library about their own 2001 gala at Waveny (not yet), what other in-town locations the Y had looked at and passed over for various reasons (Saxe field, Y’s own back field, Irwin Park, Mead) and where was the Y’s own last gala 10 years ago (in its own gym).
Commissioner Matt Konspore asked whether the organization had approached Grace Farms, and Y Executive Director Craig Panzano said that it had but “unfortunately, they can only handle 200 to 250 for food, and they do not ‘tent.’ ”
Park & Rec Chairman Sally Campbell noted that the library’s gala was in September, not the spring, and asked John Howe, parks superintendent with the Department of Public Works, whether that made a difference.
“Potentially that can make it worse,” Howe said. “The grass is growing. If it’s dormant, you are better off.”
Even if under an expedited plan, the tents go up on Wednesday or Thursday and come down on Sunday, “you can still have some yellowing,” Howe said.
“It depends on how wet it is beforehand, and compaction,” he said.
Benko noted that Waveny House is booked for weddings through the first four weekends of May 2017, and said that, in addition to the tents, a big event such as the gala requires large trucks to drive across the lawn in order to unload equipment and prepared food for the food service tents.
It’s also difficult on Sundays to get rid of all the gala’s infrastructure because it usually takes that whole day to remove equipment, dismantle tents and carry out things like tables and chairs, Benko said.
Howe suggested one possible solution: Painting the grass afterwards, “which can help, because it masks stuff,” he said.
Asked by Commissioner Kit Devereaux whether that’s bad for the grass, Howe said not at all, and the spray itself is typically a blue rather than green.
Campbell said it’s been 15 years since anyone had a big gala at Waveny House and called the Y’s request “reasonable.”
Commissioner Laura Costigan noted the ongoing work of the Waveny Park Conservancy, and said the gala could be a “great showcase opportunity” for the main house for future events.
Panzano agreed to speak to the Y’s tent rental contact about the feasibility of a rapid set-up and removal, for follow-up at the commission’s June 8 meeting.
DeFrancesco said the gala is designed to mark the end of the Y’s fundraising campaign “with broad-based community involvement and awareness” as well as “to host a community celebration of this historic project.”
“We really want it to be talked about for the next year and really to be an exciting thing to get as many people involved in as possible,” she said.