Waveny’s ‘South Avenue Trail’ To Be Reconstructed

A heavily used trail in New Canaan’s most popular park is set to see major improvements. 

The Board of Selectmen last week approved an $87,880 contract with Norwalk-based company to reconstruct the pedestrian trail that runs parallel to South Avenue from the main entrance to Waveny to Farm Road. The new trail will be made of a “mixture of pea stone and a three-eighths-inch stone which gives us that nice look and that nice feel on every other trail that we’ve done with the [Waveny Park] Conservancy,” according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. He referred to a nonprofit organization that works to keep up and improve the park. “So now this is our [the town’s] stretch,” Mann told the selectmen during their March 25 meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “So we’re looking to do this as well in the same material.

Town Mulls Demolition of ‘Irwin House’

Municipal officials say the town must decide whether to invest in the upkeep of Irwin House—needed exterior work is estimated at more than $1.3 million—or knock it down. Located in the Weed Street park of the same name, the brick Irwin House was built between 1961 and 1963 after the original 1920’s shingle-style house—once owned by IBM founder Thomas Watson, Sr.—burned down in a fire. Town officials are looking at the cost of tearing it down, according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. In addressing a joint subcommittee of the Town Council and Board of Finance on Feb. 13, Mann said associated costs include an environmental review, environmental costs and the cost of demolition itself.