Government

Parks & Rec Approves Second Annual ‘Waveny Arts Festival’ for Oct. 6

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Parks officials last week approved an Oct. 6 arts event for Waveny that saw more than 1,000 attendees turn out during its debut last year. The Parks & Recreation Commission voted unanimously to approve the second annual Waveny Arts Festival, which will run 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on that Sunday in October. Organized by the Carriage Barn Arts Center, the inaugural festival was “a great success,” according to the nonprofit organization’s executive director, Hilary Wittmann. “It was a relatively turnkey event that the whole community loved—we had an amazing turnout and are looking to repeat the event again and expand it a little bit,” Wittmann told members of the Commission at their regular meeting, held Feb.

Government

‘Pickleball Has Taken Over’: Paddle Tennis Numbers Down

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Though platform or “paddle” tennis, like other outdoor activities, saw a major uptick during the pandemic, the number of people seeking permits is down, parks officials say. One reason appears to be that an increasing number of people are choosing a different outdoor racket sport, according to Parks and Recreation Director John Howe: pickleball. “Unfortunately, this year and last year, our [paddle] permit sales are way down,” Howe told members of the Parks & Recreation Commission during their regular meeting, held Wednesday night at Lapham Community Center and via videoconference. “We’re not seeing the same usage that we had in the past,” Howe said. “We think a lot of it is, while the [paddle] numbers are down, pickleball has taken over.

Government

Election 2023: Keith Richey Announces Candidacy for Town Council [Q&A]

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Keith Richey, a corporate lawyer who has served the town for 20-plus years on the Parking and Parks & Recreation Commissions, on Monday announced his candidacy for the Town Council. We put some questions to Richey ahead of the July 25 Republican caucus, where he will seek party backing. Here’s our exchange. New Canaanite: What is your background professionally and in terms of living and volunteering here in New Canaan? Keith Richey: As a corporate lawyer I specialized in international tax planning for 39 years, starting with Exxon/Mobil out of law school, then Citibank where I became General Tax Counsel for their worldwide Private Bank, left to run the International Tax Planning function for Xerox, then ITT and their spin-off Xylem, retiring in 2018.  My 39 years of professional experience included significant involvement in law, tax, finance, and deal making.

Around Town

Verizon Coming To Soundview Lane Cell Tower

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A cell tower that went up about three years ago in northeastern New Canaan this week received transmission equipment from a popular carrier. Verizon installed its equipment on the Soundview Lane “monopine” tower on Monday and Tuesday, according to property owner Keith Richey. AT&T has been on the tower for more than one year, Richey said, though the overwhelming majority of New Canaan mobile device users appear to be Verizon customers. “Now they will finally see a benefit from having this tower,” he told NewCanaanite.com. 

The addition of Verizon service is expected to fulfill the promise of the tower at the dead-end of Soundview, overlooking St. Luke’s School, to finally bring coverage to the northeast quadrant of town.

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Private Group Seeks Permission to Display Advertising in Makeshift Ice Rink at Public Park

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Parks officials are seeking permission from New Canaan’s legislative body to forgo enforcement of a local ordinance that prohibits advertising in public parks. The Parks & Recreation Commission voted at its meeting last week in favor of allowing a private group to run “dashboard” ads inside a makeshift ice rink that’s planned for Waveny. 

Though the advisory Parks & Rec Commission supported allowing the ads last year—despite concerns voiced then-Recreation Director Steve Benko—the discussion never was vetted by the Town Council because the makeshift rink itself never materialized. Gene Goodman—a principal of the private group behind the rink, NC Rink Inc, according to Connecticut Secretary of the State records—said the ads themselves would be six feet wide by 2.5 feet high. “If you were standing at the perimeter of the dasher boards which will be about four feet high or so, you will be able to see it,” Goodman said during the Nov. 9 Parks & Rec meeting, held in Lapham Community Center.