Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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Welles Lane House Christmas 2015

Uploaded by Michael Dinan on 2015-12-22.

We got an inside tip to go check out the Griswold-worthy Christmas decorating that one spirited homeowner did at 54 Welles Lane. Wow (see video above). We’re hearing that this dedicated celebrant blew at least one circuit with all the lights, plus nine inflatables and more to see on the property—don’t miss it. ***

A “Match-A-Thon” online fundraising campaign launched Monday to benefit Chabad New Canaan Jewish Center already had passed the halfway mark toward a $54,000 goal by 10 p.m. Donor dollars are automatically tripled as part of the campaign, thanks to a general local (and anonymous) family, the campaign says. The online campaign continues through most of Tuesday.

Government

‘Try To Have a Dialogue’: Following Complaints, P&Z Urges Talks Between YMCA, Neighbors

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Officials are urging the YMCA and neighborhood residents to communicate directly with each other and regularly, after some who live near the facility lodged complaints with Planning & Zoning that conditions of a major renovation, now underway, are not being met. Specifically, residents of eight homes on Surrey Road, Putnam Road and Danvers Lane told P&Z in a recent letter and in person Tuesday night that the Y now that construction is underway isn’t complying with conditions regarding sidewalk repair, safety monitors, screening, drainage and traffic. P&Z Chairman John Goodwin during the group’s regular monthly meeting that the town “can’t police everything” and asked the parties “to try to have a dialogue and see if you can’t work out a lot of these things.”

“My own personal take from reading the respective letters is that technically the Y has not done certain things, but on the other hand there is logic as to why they have not done some things here and now,” Goodwin said at the meeting, held in a Town Hall board room. P&Z in April 2014 approved the Y’s estimated $20 million project on 37 conditions (see meeting minutes here). Construction started about three weeks ago, and is expected to last about 18 months.

Business

YMCA Applies for Building Permit; Project Scope Reduced from Original

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The New Canaan YMCA has applied for a building permit application that, if approved, will allow the South Avenue facility to start work on a widely anticipated renovation and expansion. The project will see demolition of an existing family pool and pool building, interior renovations of the existing building locker rooms, a new café and office spaces, as a new pool building and family/recreation pools are built, according to an application filed Sept. 22 with the town. In all, 14,350 square feet of new construction is planned, the application said. The figure is down more than 40 percent from the 24,617 net increase in square footage that the Y had been seeking when the Planning & Zoning Commission approved its project (on 33 conditions) 18 months ago.

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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We got a heads-up on Twitter from New Canaanite Peter “The Bushman” Bush of The FOX 95.9 FM about a recently redecorated roof of The Veggie Barn on Cross Street. Looks like town resident and Veggie Barn owner Santo Silvestro supports Donald Trump in ’16. Silvestro wasn’t immediately available for comment. The rooftop likely will be visible to any planes passing overhead. As Bush later Tweeted: “A little something for the Donald to see from 10K.”

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While Peachwave on Forest Street did close last weekend as planned (though the team there decided last-minute to extend by one day, through Sunday), company officials tell us now that a reopening is possible.

Around Town

New Canaan Summer Bucket List Every Teen Should Complete

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Each high schooler only has four summers in New Canaan. This year the class of 2015 graduated on June 18, giving teenagers 70 full days of summer, until the Aug. 27 back-to-school start date. New Canaan teens have about 280 days of summer in total through their high school years to try and experience new things, boost their college resume, and most importantly have fun. Factor in the snow days that add extra dates to the school calendar, the fall sports preseason that take up a week of the sunshine, and doctors appointments that parents have decided to squeeze in before the school year, there really isn’t that much time for high schoolers to experience everything that New Canaan has to offer throughout the summer. Here’s a list I came up with of adventures, opportunities, and experiences that all high schoolers should take advantage of in New Canaan, whether these tasks can be completed in the remaining weeks of this summer or will have to wait until next summer.