Government

Waveny’s ‘South Avenue Trail’ To Be Reconstructed

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A heavily used trail in New Canaan’s most popular park is set to see major improvements. 

The Board of Selectmen last week approved an $87,880 contract with Norwalk-based company to reconstruct the pedestrian trail that runs parallel to South Avenue from the main entrance to Waveny to Farm Road. The new trail will be made of a “mixture of pea stone and a three-eighths-inch stone which gives us that nice look and that nice feel on every other trail that we’ve done with the [Waveny Park] Conservancy,” according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. He referred to a nonprofit organization that works to keep up and improve the park. “So now this is our [the town’s] stretch,” Mann told the selectmen during their March 25 meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “So we’re looking to do this as well in the same material.

Board of Selectmen

Selectmen Approve Funds for Four More Sidewalk ‘Bumpouts’ on Elm; Timing of Project Uncertain

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Municipal officials last week approved funds for the creation of four more “bumpouts” on Elm Street—a project that will see the town regain five parking spaces. It isn’t clear just when the work will begin at the intersections of Elm Street and South Avenue (bumpouts are planned for the southeast southwest corners of the intersection) and Elm Street at the Bank of America (bumpouts are planned for each side of the crosswalk there—the Playhouse side is already done). 

Though Public Works Director Tiger Mann planned to get the project done over approximately three weeks in April-May, working on one bumpout at a time, First Selectman Dionna Carlson called for more information before committing to a start date. Specifically, Carlson said she “would like to have the least disruption to the downtown merchants” and asked if it would be better to do it in August. “Because that’s going to disrupt that [south] side of the street for three weeks at least,” Carlson said during a regular Board of Selectmen meeting, held March 25 at Town Hall and via videoconference. “And if it’s raining, it’s going to be more than three weeks because you’re going to have to extend the project… I want to approve this project, but let’s talk about what’s the best timing for this?

Government

Selectmen OK Demolition of Town-Owned 1900-Built House on Grove Street

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The Board of Selectmen last week approved an approximately $54,000 contract to demolish a town-owned house on Grove Street. The town two years ago purchased the 1900-built house at 28 Grove St. for about $1 million, calling the .15-acre parcel a “strategic” property in that it backs up to the Lumberyard Lot. 

At their regular meeting on March 25, the selectmen voted 3-0 to approve $54,198 in contracts to raze the house and a shed and remove contaminants from the site. “The demolition would include the foundation of the building,” Joe Zagarenski, senior engineer with the Department of Public Works, said at the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “And then we would just level it off to make it safe.

Board of Selectmen

NCBL, Public Works To Plant 150 New Trees along South Avenue

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A major gateway to downtown New Canaan is getting a big upgrade. South Avenue will see dozens of young trees planted next month as part of an effort led by the nonprofit New Canaan Beautification League in partnership with the town. An initiative that’s been planned for several years, the “South Avenue Re-Leaf Project” will see 150 trees planted between Cherry Street and Surrey Road providing a “nice mix of color and size and shape,” New Canaan Public Works Director Tiger Mann told the Board of Selectmen during its regular meeting Tuesday. Members of the League joined local firm Keith Simpson Associates as well as DPW officials in placing orange-capped stakes along South Avenue (which doubles as state Route 124) in finding “the locations for each tree, find the best tree for the best location [and completing the] process of getting an encroachment permit with the state,” Mann said. “Our tree warden is hopeful that we can have them in before the dogwoods bloom, which is around April 15th,” he said during the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference.

Government

Town To Install 25 New Lampposts in Waveny This Spring

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The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday approved a pair of contracts to replace 25 lampposts in Waveny, the first of two installation phases in the popular park. The new lampposts will be larger than those currently installed in Waveny, more similar to those in the downtown, according to Bill Oestmann, buildings superintendent in the New Canaan Department of Public Works. “They stopped making them,” Oestmann told the selectmen during their regular meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “They’re very old. We’re going to basically redo the whole thing, new footings and everything, and put LED lights in them so it’d be more efficient.