Government

Fitness Stations at Waveny To Be Removed Next Month, Making Way for New Equipment

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The broken and outdated equipment in a fitness area located on a grassy, tree-shaded island across the Orchard Field parking lot in Waveny will be removed next month, officials say. Set for a widely anticipated replacement, the 60-by-60-foot all-abilities fitness area often draws children who mistake it for playground equipment, according to Selectman Amy Murphy Carroll. “Multiple times, men and women are trying to use it, and it’s swarmed by kids,” Murphy Carroll said during Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. 

She added that no one is blaming the kids for doing so. “I know the actual equipment has little signs on it, which every kid in the world would ignore,” Murphy Carroll said. “And the parents probably don’t even see it, to be fair.

Government

Town To Purchase Additional License Plate Readers, Security Cameras for NCPD

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Municipal officials this week approved a $67,500 contract to purchase five license plate readers and eight security cameras for the New Canaan Police Department, to be installed around town. The contract with Flock Group Inc. will “supplement what we currently have” at NCPD, according to Police Chief John DiFederico. “We currently have 10 cameras,” DiFederico told members of the Board of Selectmen at their regular meeting, held Tuesday at Town Hall and via videoconference. “This is to get into a contract for five more and eight video cameras. This will be in addition to the 10 we currently have with the company.”

First Selectman Dionna Carlson and Selectmen Steve Karl and Amy Murphy Carroll voted 3-0 in favor of the contract. 

The funds are coming from a state grant that the town’s grant writer, Greg Reilly, was able to secure, DiFederico said.

Government

Town To Impose Fee for EV Charging Station Use in Town Hall Lot

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Town officials last week approved a fee of 53 cents per kilowatt hour for the electric vehicle or ‘EV’ charging stations in the Town Hall parking lot. The figure is expected to cover the cost of electricity for the town at the stations, according to Public Works Senior Engineer Joe Zagarenski. The Board of Selectmen during their regular meeting also approved what Zagarenski called a “parking fee equivalent” of $1.25 per hour. “I say ‘equivalent’ because it’s calculated based on a charge rate of 7.2 kilowatts per hour divided by $1.25 an hour,” he said during the Board’s regular meeting, held Nov. 4 at Town Hall and via videoconference.

Amy Murphy Carroll

Selectmen Approve Contract for New ‘Bumpout,’ Expanded Brick Sidewalk in front of Playhouse

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Town officials this week approved an approximately $38,000 contract with a New Canaan-based company to create a new sidewalk “bumpout” in front of The Playhouse. The contract with Peter Lanni Inc. will also see bricks installed in the area in front of the movie theater where there’s a patchwork of asphalt and concrete at present, officials said during Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen. “What this will do is continue the granite curb past The Playhouse, and then it’ll come back into our existing curb in between The Playhouse and Solé,” Public Works Director Tiger Mann said at the meeting, held in Town Hall and via videoconference. He continued: “And then we’ll have brick sidewalk leading all the way from the platform out, at that point in time, to the granite curbing and a new pedestrian ramp associated with it. So it’ll give a nice, big, large platform area similar to what we have down the street.”

First Selectman Dionna Carlson and Selectmen Steve Karl and Amy Murphy Carroll voted 3-0 in favor of the $38,450 contract. 

Lanni, who did the original sidewalk work in front of the movie theater, has held his brickwork pricing since 2020, Mann said.

Government

Town Approves Waveny Ice Rink for Winter Season, Postpones Food Truck Decision

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Town officials this week approved installation of the temporary ice rink at Waveny for the upcoming season while putting off a decision with respect to allowing food trucks there. 

Located on the lot serving the Orchard Field with its two softball diamonds, the open-air rink launched two years ago. The Board of Selectmen during its regular meeting on Tuesday took up a request to green-light the 2024-25 season as well as a separate request to allow food trucks there to serve skaters and their families. Saying more information is needed regarding the trucks’ hours of operation in the public park, the selectmen postponed a decision on them. “We’re approving food trucks a lot these days,” Selectman Amy Murphy Carroll said during the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “And they [food trucks] can be really additive.