Government

Town Officials Approve Request To Demo ‘Audubon House’ at Nature Center

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The New Canaanite 2024 Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Karp Associates. Town officials last week approved a request to demolish a long-disused town-owned building at the New Canaan Nature Center. During the Aug. 6 meeting of the Board of Selectmen, officials discussed the future of the “Audubon House,” a deteriorating 15-by-30-foot structure located across from the Oenoke Ridge nonprofit organization’s Visitor Center. 

Department of Public Works Senior Engineer Joe Zagarenski asked the Board of Selectmen for authorization to enter into a contract with Fuss & O’Neill, a civil and environmental engineering company. 

The contract, in the amount of $4,355 plus a contingency of $800 (a total of $5,155), is required to perform the demolition of the rectangular structure, Zagarenski told the Board at its regular meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. 

Director of Public Works Tiger Mann said the cost is funded in the fiscal year 2024-25 budget in a $50,000 line item. The building originally served as a laundry facility for the late Susan Dwight Bliss, a New Canaan resident and philanthropist.

Amy Murphy Caroll

Broken Column on White Birch Road To Be Repaired

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The New Canaanite 2024 Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Karp Associates. After six months, New Canaan officials are bringing to a conclusion the repair of the conspicuously broken column at the top of White Birch Road. As previously reported, one of the two columns located at the start of White Birch Road (opposite the off-ramp from Merritt Parkway Exit 37 northbound) was struck and damaged by a vehicle last December, according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. 

Last Tuesday, during a regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen, held at Town Hall and via videoconference, Mann discussed a check he had acquired from the driver’s insurance company. Mann sought the approval of a request from the Department of Public Works to enter into a contract with a repair company to fix the column. “We received a check for the entire amount of $5,350,” Mann said.

Around Town

‘You Can’t Miss It’: Summer Concerts at Waveny Kick Off Wednesday Night

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The New Canaanite 2024 Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Karp Associates. One of New Canaan’s highly anticipated summer traditions is kicking off this week. The annual Summer Concert Series in Waveny starts at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. 

“It’s a summer must here in New Canaan,” said Steve Karl of Karl Chevrolet, a longtime sponsor of the series. “We have always supported the New Canaan Rec Department’s efforts to bring New Canaan residents together.”

Held each Wednesday evening on the lawn behind Waveny House, the concert series draws hundreds of New Canaan families who come prepared with picnic blankets, foldout chairs, food and beverages. Featuring a multitude of musical genres, from country and ‘50s doo wop to today’s hits, the concert series is sponsored by local businesses and organizations that include Kaster Moving Co.

Around Town

DPW: Swap Shop at Transfer Station ‘A Successful Program’

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A public-private partnership at the Transfer Station is saving the town money, officials say. The Swap Shop, organized and operated by Planet New Canaan with support from the Department of Public Works, has helped New Canaan become more green-friendly by keeping many items out of the municipal waste stream. That also has helped reduce the town’s bill for disposing of waste, according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. “We feel this is a successful program,” Mann said during the May 21 Board of Selectmen meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “I still think it’s saving money.”

Although some donated Swap Shop items ultimately become garbage because they’re not claimed, “it’s less than what we would have received having not had the Swap Shop,” Mann said.

Amy Murphy Carroll

Spencer’s Run: No More Swapping Codes

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Saying users sometimes swap access codes, town officials on Tuesday approved a request to install a new lock system at Waveny’s dog park. The Board of Selectman during its regular meeting approved a contract with a Brookfield-based company to replace the old four-digit-code method of getting into Spencer’s Run. First Selectman Dionna Carlson and Selectmen Steve Karl and Amy Murphy Carroll voted 3-0 in favor of the $12,500 contract with United Alarm Services Inc., following a request from the Parks & Recreation Department. The new access control system is complete with key fobs that allow for dog-owners to enter and enjoy the park, according to Parks and Recreation Director John Howe. Although the old system had been in place for many years, issues began to arise, he said at the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference.