Board of Selectmen

‘A Big Challenge, But I’m Looking Forward To It’: Town Appoints John Howe as Interim Parks & Rec Director

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Officials on Tuesday appointed the town’s longtime parks superintendent to serve as interim director of parks and recreation. 

John Howe has been with the town for about 24 years and is “one of many employees who worked very closely with Steve Benko over the last many years,” New Canaan Human Resources Director Cheryl Pickering Jones told members of the Board of Selectmen at their regular meeting, held in Town Hall and via videoconference. 

“And what we are trying to do is fill Steve Benko’s shoes, which as everyone knows is not going to be an easy task,” Pickering Jones said. “What John is going to do is, as he becomes interim, is research the department. We are looking at how area towns are doing it and come up with some suggestions. So our first move is to make him interim and then we will hear from him as to other recommendations.”

Benko, a 50-year employee of the town who worked as recreation director sine 1979, died Feb. 12 following a brief battle with cancer.

Bill Kapp

Parks & Rec Approves ‘Summer Theatre of New Canaan’ for 2022 Season in Waveny

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For the second straight year, parks officials have approved use of Waveny Park for the long-established Summer Theatre of New Canaan’s shows and programs.

Following discussions at its Feb. 9 meeting, the Parks & Recreation approved an approximately monthlong use of the southwest corner of the soccer fields at Waveny. Summer Theatre of New Canaan, known locally as “STONC,” offered up a pandemic-shortened season last summer in the same area. STONC will launch its Thursday-through-Sunday shows around July 7, following a unanimous vote by the Commission at its regular meeting. The traditional Family Fourth picnic and fireworks are scheduled to be held in Waveny on Saturday, July 2, with a first rain date of July 3 and backup rain date of July 9.

Board of Selectmen

Town Approves Contract To Ready Mead Park Tennis Courts for 2022 Season

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Town officials on Tuesday approved an approximately $20,000 contract with a Harwinton-based company to work on the increasingly popular tennis courts at Mead Park ahead of the 2022 season. The Board of Selectmen voted 3-0 in favor of a $21,415 contract with Putnam Tennis and Recreation LLC for grading, leveling and taping the courts. As it last year, the contract will include a bonus for getting the work done early. “We offered a 15% bonus if they finished the work so we could get the courts open—that was very well received and we want to do the same thing again,” Parks Superintendent John Howe told the selectmen during their regular meeting at Town Hall. “Puts a little bit of skin in the game for them to not show up and try to open the beginning of June.

Around Town

Mead Pond Opens for Ice Skating

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After recent sustained cold temperatures, town officials this week were able to open Mead Pond for ice skating. With six inches of ice formed at Mead, skating opened on Monday, according to John Howe, parks superintendent in the New Canaan Department of Public Works. It’s the first time since 2018 that New Canaan has been able to have skating on Mead or Millport Pond, Howe said. Millport remains closed, he said. Kids, families and adults, including some with dogs, could be seen enjoying the ice at Mead at sundown Monday.

Animal 411

Rule-Breakers Prompt Town To Install New Sign at Dog Park Regarding Prohibition on Young Children

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Saying some of those who use the dog run at Waveny are breaking a rule that prohibits young children from entering the fenced-in area, officials are planning to install an even more explicit sign there. This wording already appears on a “Rules of the Dog Park” sign outside Spencer’s Run: “Children under five are prohibited from entering Spencer’s Run—no exceptions. This is for the protection of the children.”

Yet recently, Parks & Recreation Commissioner George Benington said, when he’s gone to the popular dog run “there have been some not-so-bright adults who have been bringing in some of their toddlers.”

Addressing the full Commission during its Nov. 10 meeting, Benington asked whether a dedicated sign saying “No children under the age of five” could be posted at the gated entrance to Spencer’s Run. “One mother gives us some pushback in there,” he said at the meeting, held via videoconference. 

Recreation Director Steve Benko said that although the rules of the park are spelled out on the gate, people don’t read them.