Government

Plan To Re-Sod Athletic Fields Approved

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The NewCanaanite.com Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Baskin-Robbins, Connecticut Sandwich Co., Joe’s Pizza and Mackenzie’s. After becoming severely weather-beaten as a result of a late winter, athletic fields across the town saw delayed openings, frustrating parents and coaches seeking to get players on them as early as possible. During the season, parts of the playing fields get so much use that it makes sense for parks officials to swap in fresher sod from one area to another. On Tuesday, the Board of Selectmen approved $24,750 from the Department of Public Works Field Maintenance Fund to replace around 30,000 square feet of sod on fields throughout town. The unanimous 3-0 decision approves a request made by the DPW Parks Department to enter into a contract with Athletic Field Services of Bridgeport, which will be responsible for replacing the sod at a rate of 75 cents per square foot.

News

Town on Soggy, Unplayable Sports Fields: ‘We’re Doing Our Best’

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With a lingering, frosty winter that quickly turned into a very wet spring, New Canaan’s playing fields are unusually soggy and about three weeks behind where they usually are, causing some frustration among youth sports parents and coaches, officials say. Parks Department crews are working diligently to get soccer, baseball and other fields into shape, despite a late clay delivery and hold-ups getting sand that New Canaan had ordered back in February/March, according to First Selectman Rob Mallozzi. “The weather has been tough on my yard, tough on your yard, tough on our fields,” Mallozzi said. “We’re doing our best. We have people getting frustrated with conditions on our fields and our department guys are frustrated, too.

Around Town

Parks Officials Seek ‘No Dogs’ Designation for Bristow Bird Sanctuary

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Saying off-leash dogs are disrupting wildlife on the public property, town officials are pushing to rid the Bristow Bird Sanctuary off of Route 106 entirely of canines. The Park & Recreation at its April meeting voted to request the rule formally by way of the Town Council. There used to be a “No Dogs Allowed” sign at the Old Stamford Road entrance to Bristow, but there also long has been a dog litter bag dispenser and receptacle, so that creates a mixed message, said commissioner Andrea Peterson. “It should be a wildlife sanctuary, and it was a bird sanctuary and people walking their dogs, it’s disruptive to the birds and especially if people let them off-leash,” Peterson said at the group’s April 9 meeting, held at Lapham Community Center. Some parks officials raised questions about the move.