Government

Parks & Rec: Tennis Court Usage Up Amid COVID-19 Emergency

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Officials say they’ve seen a sharp rise among residents seeking passes to play tennis at Mead Park this summer. 

The town has sold 216 total passes compared to 144 last year, Parks & Recreation Commissioner Steve Haberstroh said during the appointed body’s regular meeting Wednesday. 

Within those figures, the number of adult passes has increased year-over-year from 59 to 115, while youth passes have increased from 17 to 42, Haberstroh said during the meeting, held via videoconference. 

“Likely due to COVID, people are interested in tennis again,” he said during an update on tennis activity. 

The courts at Mead Park and New Canaan High School both are seeing robust regular use, Haberstroh said. On good weather days, 35 to 45 courts are used daily at each location, he said. Starting May 10, the high school courts began requiring users to register ahead of time to use the courts and had an attendant there to ensure CDC and U.S. Tennis Association guidelines are followed, and 450 people signed up, Haberstroh said. The only user group buying fewer passes is seniors, down slightly from 65 in 2019 to 56 this summer, he said. The reason for the overall increase likely is that residents are looking to do outdoor sports and to social-distance amid the COVID-19 public health emergency, Parks & Rec commissioners said.

Government

Town: Sales of Waveny Pool Passes Down 

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Fewer seniors are purchasing passes to Waveny Pool in years past, officials said last week, likely due to COVID-19 virus-related fears. As of Wednesday, 116 senior passes had been sold, according to Recreation Program Manager Steve Dayton. 

The figure is down 33% from the 174 total sold through the summer season one year ago, records show. In the past five years, the number of senior passes sold for Waveny Pool ranged up from 140. “I don’t think they are coming to the pool,” Dayton told members of the Parks & Recreation Commission during the appointed body’s regular meeting, held July 8 via videoconference. Commissioner Matt Konspore said, “I think there are still people in fear,” referring to transmission of the virus to seniors, for whom coronavirus disease poses great risk.

Government

Town Officials Eye June 22 Reopening of Playing Fields, with Restrictions

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Town officials said last week that they’re working on a plan to reopen New Canaan’s playing fields, following state guidelines. District and parks officials are hoping to start opening fields June 22, with several mandated restrictions, according to Recreation Director Steve Benko. For example, player benches at the fields will be removed because six-foot social distancing is required and they would need to be disinfected after every practice or game, Benko told members of the Parks & Recreation Commission at their June 10 meeting, held via videoconference. 

“The same thing goes with the bleachers,” he said. “It says you must practice six-foot social distancing in the bleachers. Our bleachers, like at Mead at the baseball field, there are five rows.

Carl Mason

Waveny Pool: Family Passes To Be Sold Only to New Canaan Residents This Summer

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Given high demand from locals and new restrictions that limit capacity, the town will not sell Waveny Pool passes to nonresidents this summer, officials said Wednesday. On the first day of pool sales, the town sold 219 family passes online to New Canaanites, as well as 21 individual passes, 15 nanny and 20 senior passes, according to Recreation Director Steve Benko. 

Under new state orders, given the size of Waveny Pool itself and approximately 11,500 square feet of lawn around it, the facility is allowed to have a total of 320 people at one time and no more than 240 in the main pool, as well as 40 more in the kiddie pool area, Benko told members of the Parks & Recreation Commission at their regular meeting, held via videoconference. No one will be allowed to linger on the concrete decks around the pool itself, and six feet of social distancing must be kept both in and out of the pool, Benko said. “At this point, I think we have to give preference for use of the pool to our residents, as much as I’d like to offer some spots to nonresidents,” Benko said. “Let’s see where our sign-up goes.

Government

Rec Director: Town Waits for Word on Waveny Pool Reopening as Walkers Take to Public Parks, NCHS Track

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Residents have taken to the trails at public parks and the New Canaan High School track in large numbers since town officials reopened the facilities for walking nearly three weeks ago, officials said Wednesday. 

An online booking system for singles tennis at the NCHS courts also has seen more than 30 courts used on average this week, according to Recreation Director Steve Benko, who has an attendant overseeing the facility. 

“Hopefully the next step is to get some of our fields reopened in a limited capacity, limited fashion,” Benko said during the Parks & Recreation Commission’s regular meeting, held via video conference. 

“Just to go out and throw a lacrosse ball or kick a soccer ball or throw a football. That has been the one challenge. We have got people who want to get out on the turf fields, who climb up the fences or climb under the fences at Dunning [Stadium]. And we have to throw them off once in a while.”

The comments came during a general update from Benko. 

During her own update, Commission Chair Rona Siegel praised Benko and his department as well as Parks Superintendent John Howe and Public Works Director Tiger Mann on their nimbleness and diligence through a time of uncertainty, as new directives come down from state and local leaders. 

“Watching all the work and changing signs and things that have been going on, I’m utterly impressed and speechless,’ Siegel said. “I know it hasn’t been easy, and I see that also during this time you are getting a lot of work done,” she added.