For years, the Weston Road/Easton Road/North Main Street rotary near Exit 42 — the unofficial “Welcome to Westport” landmark for everyone coming off the Merritt Parkway — was maintained, as a public service, by Daybreak Nursery.
But when financial problems caused the nearby business to close, the triangular plot grew grungy.
Now — suddenly — the space looks gorgeous.
(Photo/Russ Miller)
I don’t think it was a state Department of Transportation project. But huge props to whoever got it done.
Meanwhile — across town — another “Welcome to Westport” site looks decidedly less welcoming.
(Photo/Joanne Romano)
Just one more reason to avoid I-95, and take the Merritt.
Is that The Arrow?
Sure was.
I believe it was Tony Palmer who owns the nursery down the street. Tony has given alot back to the community.
Mark Gudis
What you first see when getting off the highway is the parking lot which could use landscaping.
Phil
The parking lot is getting a $1.5 Million makeover. It will include trees and will look much nicer when done.
As for the Blue building the old Arrow, Jasmine, Blue Parrot, it was to be a ribs place, but that deal fell through. Let’s not be swift in looking to fill it, as what could come in quick might not be what we’d like to see there, ie a McDonalds, a Pizza Hut or the like. The goal here is have something that augments what Saugatuck has become, the new go to restaurant / non chain mecca of Westport.
BTW – The Slice of Saugatuck will be held on Saturday September 10th from 2pm – 5pm. Come on out and celebrate Saugatuck.
Tony Palmer of Anthony’s nursery & garden center has been taking care of that area for a long time.After Daybreak closed that area got very over grown. Tony went in with his men and weeded all the flower beds, edged all the beds and has been cutting the lawn every week. He does not get paid for this. Tony has done a lot of things like this for the Town of Westport. He did the planting at the police station for the fallen officers. Cleaned the train station parking area across from the old Marios. He moved the sculptures to winslow park years ago for Dr. Arther Ashman for free. Tony is one of those old Westporters that won’t say no when something needs to get done or someone needs help..Thank you Tony for all you do. You make Westport a better place to live for all of us !!!!!!!!!
Thank you Tony!!!
The triangle does look very nice, almost makes you forget about what a traffic debacle that intersection is.
The black eyed Susan’s are lovely but does anyone remember the daylillies that bordered most of our streets and are no longer….sad
Oh, this would be beautiful. Perhaps it’s from the deer? My neighbors lost over *100* flowers one night due to the buggers!
What a nice improvement! Now if something could be done with the entrance ramps into Westport on I95. They are the most unappealing and depressing sights when entering what should be a lovely area. What a welcome to Westport! On top of that we have panhandlers making it worse. What ever happened to panhandling and loitering laws?
I agree, Virginia. The Exit 17 on off ramps surrounding area are strewn with trash, bent and dented guard rails, chain link fences and not a flower or shrub in sight. I’m relatively new to town, but would be up for working with others to brainstorm on ways to plan and execute a beatification project. Email me at ssinger65@gmail.com if you want to team up!
Very probably the State of CT owns or has right-of-way control over the land which borders the 95 entrance/exit ramps and any other land directly surrounding a state road. So any local improvements might involve applications, permission, etc.
The orange roadside lilies: I miss them too. But as the years have passed and traffic has increased the state & towns have mowed and used chemical sprays with abandon to keep the roadsides clear. Thus the lilies, repeatedly cut down and/or poisoned, have gradually disappeared.
In my experience deer will only eat the about-to-bloom buds of Oriental lilies and not the common varieties. Vigilant application of deer repellant to just the emerging buds works.
Apparently, Dan and Maureen Aron helped out too. The triangle is near their home, and they got tired of what they saw. So on a recent Sunday, he and a friend named Alfredo started gathering litter and pulling weeds. Tony Palmer — who cuts the grass each week — stopped by and pitched in. It takes a village to fix an eyesore.
That’s correct Dan, Dan and Maureen Aron and a dear friend of theirs weeded the island before I had it scheduled . They did a great job. Thank you everyone for your great comments. And thankyou Dan,Maureen and Alfredo might of gotten name wrong.
hi dan-
i believe the man behind the arrow/blu parrot blight is Mr.Summit himself…. one comment: ugggggh roger
Roger Kaufman rzktroger@aol.com