Government

‘I Know It Is Extremely Frustrating’: Contractor’s Failure to Deliver Material Delays Opening of Clay Tennis Courts at Mead Park

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Tennis players in New Canaan are frustrated that the courts at Mead Park haven’t yet opened for the season, officials said Wednesday night, a problem caused by a contracted company that’s failed to deliver the clay material. Normally, the “Hartru” courts at Mead are open around May 20, according to Recreation Director Steve Benko. 

But a Cheshire-based company that did a very good job preparing the facility last year, despite weather-related problems, has “dropped the ball” this spring, he said at a regular meeting of the Parks & Recreation Commission. “The problem is, they have to put 50 bags of material on each court,” he said during the meeting, held at Lapham Community Center. “They can’t get the material here to put it on the courts. So they came in and micro-groomed the courts and pulled weeds.

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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The town on May 11 received an application for the owner of the Huguette Clark estate on Dan’s Highway to build a tennis court on the 52-acre property. The 120-by-60-foot court will cost $98,750 to build. The contractor on the job is Oval Tennis Inc. of Somers, N.Y., architect Frangione Engineering LLC of New Canaan. ***

Congratulations to New Canaan High School senior lacrosse player Nick Crovatto, who broke a longstanding Rams record Monday in a game vs. Trumbull with his 676th faceoff win.

Animal 411

Parks Officials Propose Raising User Fees at Spencer’s Run

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Saying it would generate an additional $9,000 in revenue, parks officials said this month that they’re planning to propose higher fees for those who use the dog run at Waveny. An early version of the new slate would see the annual registration fee for a first dog at Spencer’s Run go from $25 to $40 for residents and $40 to $60 for nonresidents, while the fee for additional dogs would rise from $15 to $25, according to the Parks & Recreation Commission. Chair Sally Campbell said the Commission could vote on the proposed higher rates at its next meeting and that they would go into effect after next year’s budget season. “The point is that these are quite low and there is a lot of maintenance that needs to be done in the park and it’s supposed to be the people who go to the park are the ones who are supposed to be the ones funding the repairs through fees,” Campbell said at the April 11 meeting, held at Lapham Community Center. There are 843 members of Spencer’s Run and just over half of them are nonresidents, according to Commissioner Rona Siegel.

Government

Relocated Garbage Bin at Irwin Park Designed To Help with Used Dog Waste Bags

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Responding to one idea for addressing the problem of abandoned dog waste at Irwin Park, public works officials have relocated a garbage bin to its northwest corner opposite Bayberry Road. Public Works Director Tiger Mann said the bin originally had been located near Irwin Barn and was moved at the request of the Parks & Recreation Commission. According to Commission Chair Sally Campbell, the thinking is that the newly placed bin would “make disposing of dog waste a little easier” for some. Specifically, some park-goers would pick up after their dog but then toss the used bag off-trail somewhere behind the main house, presumably because they didn’t want to have to carry it all the way around the Flexi-pave loop, she said. “Evidently it bothers other people and they think walking half a mile with a bag is an inconvenience, I guess,” Campbell said.

Government

‘It Has Been Cold’: Low Temps Delay Prep, Opening of Playing Fields

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This spring’s lingering low temperatures have delayed the town’s work in preparing and opening some of New Canaan’s playing fields, the parks superintendent said Wednesday night. John Howe told members of the Parks & Recreation Commission at their regular meeting that he “can’t remember that we have ever been this late still painting the fields for the first time and opening them up.”

“A few warm days are going to help but next week temperatures are going to go back down,” he said. After another dip down into the 30s on Sunday, the National Weather Service is calling for temps to linger in the 50s this week during the day and dip back into the 30s at night. Even with the unseasonably cold weather, “We are getting there slowly,” Howe said at the meeting, held in Lapham Community Center. “I talked to the contractor that does our spring clean for the tennis courts and they are still slated for the beginning of May, so we should be good there,” he added, referring to the clay courts at Mead Park.