Chris Hering

Parking Commission Votes 4-1 To Recommend Widening Spaces in Morse Court, Playhouse Lots

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The Parking Commission voted last week to recommend re-striping in two municipal parking lots so that the width of stalls is in line with New Canaan’s own zoning regulations. 

The appointed body’s 4-1 vote recommends widening spaces at Morse Court and one area of the Playhouse Lot to nine feet. Commission Secretary Pam Crum said the parking spaces in the middle area of the Playhouse Lot currently are just 7.5 feet wide. “I have been stuck three times in there where I have been wedged between two vehicles,” she said at the meeting, held in Town Hall. “I’ve had to wait until cars showed up. One time I climbed from the passenger said—barely snuck in the passenger side, and crawled over the center console to the driver’s side.”

In addition to Crum, those voting in favor of the recommendation included Chair Keith Richey and Commissioners Peter Ogilvie and Chris Hering. 

The change likely would result in the loss of about eight parking spaces, commissioners said.

Government

Advocate for Local Businesses To Join New Canaan Parking Commission

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A local business advocate is to be appointed Tuesday to the municipal body that adjudicates parking ticket appeals and oversees off-street lots in New Canaan. 

The Board of Selectmen is scheduled during its regular meeting to vote on the appointment of Laura Budd of the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce to the Parking Commission. She is to replace Stuart Stringfellow on the five-member Commission. Asked about the imminent appointment, Budd said she’s looking forward to joining. “As part of my job at the Chamber I have worked very closely with [Parking Manager] Stacy [Miltenberg] and whole Parking Department team and of course Keith [Richey] as Chairman of the Commission,” Budd said in a text. “I have a lot to learn but look forward to bringing the perspective of the downtown business community to the table as we all work toward the goal of making the parking situation more accessible for shoppers and workers alike.”

That’s emerged as a focal point among town leaders.

Business

Property Owner: Ice Cream Purveyor Finalizing Lease for Former Baskin Robbins Space

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The owner of the Main Street building long occupied by Baskin Robbins said she’s finalizing an agreement that will see a different ice cream purveyor move into the commercial space. Former site of the iconic Gramophone Shop music store, 103 Main St. since 2002 has been occupied by Baskin Robbins, which owner Anna Valente-Krolikowski closed Saturday. Terry Spring of Cody Real Estate LLC said the ownership company is “in the process of finalizing a lease with another ice cream store.”

“We have been working with Anna on this, she has done such a great job and will be a hard act to follow,” Spring told NewCanaanite.com in an email. “We will announce soon.”

Cody Real Estate LLC also owns 97 Main St.

Business

‘Riverside Pediatrics’ Opens on Vitti Street

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Daughter of a cardiothoracic surgeon and a nurse, Dr. Karen Beckman thought early on that her career in medicine might lead to a specialty in psychiatry. 

The Guilford native double-majored in Spanish and psychology at Tufts University, and went on to enter Tufts University School of Medicine. In her third year there, Beckman began to try different fields and “loved OBGYN,” she recalled Tuesday. “I loved delivering babies, I loved working with young moms, and with babies, and I just thought the whole thing was fascinating. And then I did my pediatrics rotation and I loved the kids. I just thought they were so fun and with the job, you are working a lot of hours, it can be a grind when you are a resident because you are working 100 hours and getting no sleep—and I found that I didn’t mind it when I was working with kids.

Around Town

New Canaan ‘Taste Tours’ Set for Thursday

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The creators of a popular food-centered event that’s run for seven years in downtown New Canaan say they’ve reimagined it in a way that focuses the experience for attendees as well as merchants. 

To be held 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, the New Canaan ‘Taste Tours’ offer four options for food-lovers, featuring signature bites from local restaurants, wine tasting, dessert and craft and draft beer sampling. Designed in partnership with locally owned Rock Paper Scissors Events, the Taste Tours carry on the tradition of welcoming residents back to New Canaan at summer’s end, according to Laura Budd of the Chamber of Commerce. 

“Adults or couples might choose the beer or wine tour, while larger families or anyone not interested in beer endwise could do the tasting and then families with really young kids could do the dessert tour, which is a much smaller footprint,” Budd said. 

Referring to the predecessor ‘Taste of the Town’ event, Budd said the Taste Tours were “customized to different groups as opposed to just one tour for everyone. 

“I think that we are going for a higher quality experience for both the strollers and the merchants who are so generous with their donations,” she said. A portion of all proceeds will go toward the New Canaan Food Pantry. The four Taste Tours options encompass between four and 12 stops, as follows (purchase tickets here):

“Taste Crawl”—up to 12 stops ($15 now or $20 on the day)
“Dessert Dash”—up to four stops ($10/$15)
“Wine Tasting Trail”—up to six stops ($20/$25)
“Beer Tasting Trail”—up to six stops ($20/$25)

Taste Tour-goers will be identified by a wristband that can be picked up in front of The Playhouse on Elm Street. Those buying same-day tickets may do so in front of The Playhouse starting at 5 p.m. The event is on, rain or shine.