Photo credit: Trip Advisor
Greetings Greenwich friends and neighbors.
Grassroots efforts certainly do pay off. I want to thank our residents who collaboratively worked with our state legislative delegation and our Department of Public Works staff to convince the Governor to scrap the plan to refurbish the I-95 corridor in Town.
We were successful in presenting information that there was a need for a more comprehensive plan to mitigate highway noise that continues to negatively impact our neighborhoods and environment. I want to recognize the efforts of the Stop95Noise.org, the Riverside Association, and the Byram Neighborhood Association.
Now we are seeking the details of what the state Department of Transportation is planning in terms of highway pavement rehabilitation while a new reconstruction plan is developed. More information on this week’s announcement can be found here.
Old Greenwich detour begins Monday
The replacement of the Sound Beach Avenue Bridge will begin Monday, April 11, with a temporary traffic detour utilizing Harding Road and Forest Avenue. The detour is effective 24/7 and will be in effect until July 1. Pedestrians must use Binney Park walkways during construction.
With approximately 14,500 vehicles using the Sound Beach Avenue Bridge daily, this is a critical project that will replace a deteriorating bridge built in 1925. The bridge will be replaced by a single-span precast concrete structure. Eliminating the center pier will increase the hydraulic efficiency of the bridge.
Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) techniques will be utilized in this project, which can significantly reduce road closure time. To complement the scenic area, the Sound Beach Avenue Bridge will match the look of the Wesskum Wood Road bridge and the Binney Park pedestrian bridges. The three primary purposes of this bridge are to support traffic traveling on Sound Beach Avenue, allow water to flow from Cider Mill Brook into Binney Pond, and improve pedestrian safely.
Construction updates will be available via the Public Works projects map which can be found here.
The great Greenwich outdoors
With spring in the air, our Department of Parks and Recreation and the Friends of Pomerance/Pinetum/Tuchman Park have two events planned.
Tomorrow, April 9, there will be a nature walk in our woodland park, followed by a volunteer event to remove invasive vines. Learn about the park’s unique ecosystem, its flora and fauna, and how you can help it thrive. Gloves and clippers will be provided. The event begins at 10 a.m.
Then on Wednesday, April 13, a morning of planting and restoring the woodland park with native shrubs will be held from 9 a.m. to noon.
For more information and to RSVP, please click here. For both events, meet at the parking lot at the Orchard Street entrance to Pomerance Park.
Let’s go fly a kite
The annual kite festival hosted by the Greenwich Arts Council and the Parks & Recreation Department has a new date. Based upon the weather forecast for tomorrow, the festival at Greenwich Point Park will now be held on Sunday, April 10. Participants of all ages are encouraged to enjoy the waterfront with their favorite flying machines. It all starts at 11 a.m.
COVID Update
In case you missed this, the Food and Drug Administration has granted an extension of the IHealth COVID-19 Test Kits expiration date. It has been extended by three months. More information can be found here.
As of today, Greenwich Hospital was treating 8 COVID-19 patients. A week ago, the hospital had 2 COVID patients. The Yale-New Haven Health system has a total of 49 patients. Our public schools reported 65 active cases today - 53 students, 11 teachers and 1 non-teaching staff member. Last week, there were 29 active cases. To date, there have been 2,387 COVID cases recorded by the school district.
As of today, April 8, the total number of resident COVID cases (since the pandemic began in March 2020) increased to 12,020. The number of residents whose deaths have been attributed to COVID remains at 121.
Vaccine info
Log onto the Yale New Haven Health website to find a booster vaccine site.
Family Centers is offering weekday vaccine and testing clinics at 111 Wilbur Peck Court. Details can be found here.
The Connecticut Department of Public Health is offering mobile vaccine clinics. Information on locations can be found here.
Every year, since 1978, the Greenwich Youth Conservation Program (GYCP) has offered a summer employment program for 112 Greenwich teens.
And applications are being accepted for this year’s program which is administered by the Department of Human Services and the Parks and Recreation Department. Each year teens who are 14- and 15-years-old are offered their first job opportunity to learn teamwork and practical life skills while enhancing the Town’s environment. It’s also a forum for teens to meet and learn about their peers who come from a variety of backgrounds and different neighborhoods.
The two-week work sessions are spent digging, planting and maintaining Greenwich parks and properties. During lunch and other appropriate times, speakers on environmental and youth issues are invited to give the participants additional skills and knowledge.
Candidates should complete the application on google.doc no later than April 30. A mandatory virtual family orientation will be scheduled in June for participants and guardians. The corps program begins June 27.
For more information, please contact Program Administrator Christina Nappi at 203-622-7792 or email at Christina.Nappi@greenwichct.org.
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With the Easter and Passover holidays next week, the next edition of “Community Connections from Fred” will be sent on Wednesday, April 13.
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Stay safe and wishing you the best,
Fred