The Downtown Plan Implementation Committee’s idea for Parker Harding Plaza — eliminating the cut-through from Main Street to the Post Road, in favor of 2-way traffic closer to the back entrances of stores in the lot, along with the loss of 44 parking spots — has run into heavy traffic.
A petition on Change.org has garnered over 500 signatures. It says:
“We, the undersigned, respectfully OPPOSE the Westport Downtown Plan Implementation Committee’s proposed plan to eliminate the Parker Harding Access Road and 44 parking spaces as part of a larger proposal to re-conceptualize and redesign Parker Harding Plaza. If approved, this proposed plan will result in a dramatic increase in traffic throughout Westport and make finding Downtown parking more difficult.
“The Westport Downtown Plan Implementation Committee is an appointed committee responsible for initiating and carrying out the implementation of the Downtown Master Plan. We encourage the Westport Downtown Plan Implementation Committee to propose a viable alternative that does not impose further burdens on the residents of Westport, visitors, and downtown business owners/employees.”
The proposed plan eliminates the cut-through, and reconfigures spaces. Click on or hover over to enlarge.
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Meanwhile, a minute or two from downtown, Winslow Park just got a bit safer.
Mark Mathias writes: “It’s great to see an AED (automated external defibrillator) back at Winslow Park. It was missing for at least a couple of years.
“I also like that despite the ‘Call 911 for code’ label, there’s no lock on the hasp. When seconds matter, having to call for a code seems wrong.
“I hope the AED stays in the locker in case someone needs it. I also hope that the other AEDs around town have been deployed.”
AED at Winslow Park. It’s located near the Westport Country Playhouse parking lot. (Photo/Mark Mathias)
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Monday’s fire on Old Hill Road destroyed the home — and all personal possessions — of a Westport family.
Grace Firth — a single mother, whose family lives abroad — along with her daughter Bria (a Coleytown Middle School 7th grader) and an aunt, Sylvia, who is with them — escaped with only the pajamas they were sleeping in.
They have lived in Westport for several years. Friends have created a GoFundMe campaign, to help.
All money raised will pay for clothing, household items, and new housing — the most urgent need. Click here to help.
A Facebook “Westport Front Porch” post by Julie Einziger Sternberg lists sizes:
Shoes (Grace 6, Sylvia 9 or 9.5, Brie junior 4); clothes (Grace medium/large size 10, Sylvia xl tops/large bottom, Brie large kids/sweats and hoodie — she loves those).
A meal train has been set up too. Click here to sign up.
Grace and Bria Frith.
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“Work, Live, Ride” — a bill increasing housing density near train stations, including Saugatuck and Greens Farms — will probably not be enacted during this Connecticut General Assembly session.
Click here for the full Connecticut Mirror story.
The “Work, Live, Ride” bill could have increased housing around the Saugatuck and Greens Farms railroad stations.
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Firefighters from across the region gathered yesterday evening at Assumption Church. A solemn ceremony sponsored by the Bridgeport Area Retired Firefighters honored all those who lost their lives in the line of duty.
A reception followed at the VFW.
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At 6:30 a.m., 79 years ago yesterday, Allied forces began the largest sea invasion in American history. Over 350,000 soldiers and naval personnel landed on the Normandy beaches. Thousands of paratroopers assisted.
Five days later, the beaches were secured. Nearly 2,500 mile of coastline was taken. “Operation Overlord” turned the tide of World War II.
Over 5,000 Allied forces — including 2,001 Americans — were killed on D-Day. Many more perished, and were injured, during the ensuing Battle of Normandy.
Robert Loomis — a 19-year-old infantryman at Utah Beach — was fortunate. He returned home.
He was honorably discharged later, as a sergeant first class. His decorations include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Combat Infantry Badge, Presidential Citation, Army Meritorious Citation, French and Belgian Fourrageres and the French Legion of Honor.
He and his family moved to Westport in 1958. He commuted to New York as an art director.
He was also very involved here, as a volunteer. He spent 25 years as an EMT with the Norwalk Hospital Emergency Department and Westport Emergency Medical Service. He also helped his wife with Meals on Wheels.
In 1985, Bob Loomis designed the logo for Westport’s 150th anniversary celebration.
In 1994 Loomis returned to France, for the 50th anniversary celebration of D-Day. He and fellow Westporter Clayton Chalfant visited Marigny, Westport’s sister city in Normandy.
Loomis died on June 8, 2016 — in the midst of the 72nd anniversary of Operation Overlord. He was 91. Click here for his full, fascinating, obituary.
Last night’s Representative Town Meeting session included a moment of silence for Sgt. Loomis, and all who served on D-Day. (Hat tip: Andrew Colabella)
Bob Loomis proudly displays some of his medals. The next day, he added the Croix de Guerre.
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Also last night at the RTM: member Jessica Bram paid tribute to former moderator (and later, 1st Selectman), on what recently would have been his 78th birthday. Joseloff died in 2020.
Bram said: “Gordon contributed so much to Westport. He was a volunteer EMT, Westport firefighter, and what he may have been proudest of, publisher of WestportNow.com which was a groundbreaking hyper-local blog that connected us all as a community in real time.
“Gordon was so modest you might not know he had lifelong career at CBS News, the only journalist who got into the Gdańsk Shipyards — for anyone who remembers that—was an Emmy winner, served as both Moscow and Tokyo bureau chief, and sat just off camera alongside Walter Cronkite during CBS evening news broadcasts.
“I take note especially of how much he contributed to this RTM, where he was proud to serve as Mmderator for 10 years. He told me that he always wore a jacket and tie at RTM meetings to show his respect for his role as moderator….
“We have much to be grateful to Gordon for, for how much he contributed to Westport. But perhaps here especially, where he served 10 years as moderator of this RTM.”
Gordon Joseloff (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)
Gordon Joseloff (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)
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On July 13, “Booked for the Evening” honoree Laura Linney will entertain and enlighten an already sold-out Trefz Forum audience.
It’s a major fundraiser for the Westport Library.
Now there’s a way to see the Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning actress — in the comfort of your home. And you don’t even have to live in Westport.
The Library will livestream the ceremony, and Linney’s talk. The cost is just $20. Click here for details, and to purchase a virtual link.
Laura Linney
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Speaking of the Library:
Verso Records: Volume One — the debut album from Verso Studios, which was launched Sautrday night at the Trefz Forum — is now on sale.
It’s available at the Library Store, online via Bandcamp, through the Verso Records website, and soon at record stores around the area.
The bright yellow vinyl sells for $22, and includes a digital download. A $10 digital-only version is also available.
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Speaking of music at the Library:
On Monday night, the Y’s Men of Westport and Weston welcomed the Staples High School Jazz Band Combo Blue. The Trefz Forum was packed for the sextet’s 40-minute set, with Y’s Men and jazz lovers (some were both).
Click below to enjoy:
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This year, Neighbors & Newcomers of Westport celebrates its 60th anniversary.
The organization — far more than a “welcome wagon” — offers an array of activities for new Westporters (and those who are not so new). Lasting friendships are formed.
All residents — members or not — are invited to their 60th anniversary celebration this Friday (June 9, 6:30 p.m.) at the Compo Beach brick pavilion.
Food and water will be provided; BYOB. And — as old-timers know: No glass!
For more information on the group, click here.
Neighbors & Newcomers enjoy a hike.
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Last night’s News 12 “Crime Files” segment on the Joan Wertkin murder included interviews with family members, police officers and others — and archival footage from the days immediately after the May 24, 1989 crime.
But — despite hints that the killer is known — no names were revealed.
According to the show, however, investigators are coming close to closing the long-open case.
A News 12 “Crime Files” screenshot shows an aerial view of the Main Street shopping plaza — the site of Coffee An’, among others — behind which Joan Wertkin’s body was found.
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TAP Strength celebrates the summer solstice with a special drop-in class (yoga and sound bath).
The date is June 21 (of course); the time is 6 p.m. Call 203-292-9353 or email nancy@tapstrength.com to register.
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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo comes from Tom Feeley.
He shot it at 6:05 a.m. yesterday, at PJ Romano Field. It’s not edited or altered in any way. “Courtesy of Canadian wildfires,” Tom says of the bright orange hue.
(Photo/Tom Feeley)
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And finally … wildfires are deadly. This song, however, is beautiful:
(Every day, “06880” scours Westport — and the world — for interesting Roundup features. If you enjoy this feature, please help support our work. Just click here — and thank you.)
How do we get clothing to Grace and her family?
Part of the problem with the Parker Harding process has been the fact that the DPIC holds its meetings at 8:30 AM, a time that is difficult for many people. And it feels like every decision along the way has been made by a small group of people without any critical or substantive input from residents or business owners.
This is such an important issue, that a town-wide evening discussion, not filtered by DPIC’s consultants, is warranted ASAP. One way to do this is to get it on the RTM agenda by having a petition signed by at least 20 Westport voters. Please email me at johndmc888@gmail.com if you are interested in signing such a petition.
Email supporting your petition sent!
As an RTM representative from District 8 whose residents drive to get downtown, I value all the public input and share concerns about traffic, the cut-through road, idling, etc. (we should also think about other air and water quality/health issues, too).
As John McCarthy noted, it’s possible to petition to get an item on the RTM agenda, but it would probably be more effective to request a community forum with the Selectwoman to whom the DPIC reports.
From the town website:
“The Downtown PIC will report directly to and serve at the pleasure of the First Selectman. The Downtown PIC will in general follow the outlined “Implementation Plan” found in the DMP, but has the authority with the Selectman’s approval, to vary and readjust the plan as circumstances and opportunities arise. The Downtown PIC will set goals each year for what it believes can be realistically accomplished and report periodically to the First Selectman on progress….”
Wendy, the time for a selectwoman led “community forum” on this is long past. A decision has been made and now they just want to jam it through the P&Z, Finance and RTM. The DPIC and 1st Selectwoman have had ample time to communicate this plan, and what they have come up with are one-sided surveys and feel good web site images. With a pending 8-24 application and a goal of funding in 2023, this is a freight train that needs to be slowed down so people can understand all the implications. I thank RTM members like you, Andrew Colabella, Lou Mall and Sal Liccione for letting us know where you stand on this issue. For other elected officials, the information is out there if you choose to look for it.
What a fiery line up 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Was not aware of the community meeting, but also anyone can reach out to me. I am not in favor of this downtown plan with respect to Parker Harding changes, at all. We complain about traffic 24/7, so let’s take away a road.
Our town has grown exponentially since 2020, faster and bigger than any other town in FC and still a high demand to live here, so no…if anything, repave, line stripe, improve islands and sidewalks, drainage and flood mitigation and move on.
Happy to see the AED is freely accessible, every second counts and no one has time or calm patience to call for a code or scan to gain access.
Work, Live, Ride, will see another session. Fair share bill was pulled, however, part of it was slipped into another bill shortly after and discovered in the early morning hours on Saturday. Slick and sneaky selfish politics and poor leadership is to blame, putting it on all of us, is shameful.
Fun fact: 10,198 allied soldiers are buried over in Normandy, and the sand from the beach they died on is applied to their headstones in the grooves of the letters to be made visibly, enhancing and preserving them.
Gordon, a solid peaceful nonstop caring individual with a love and passion and presence that could never be duplicated by anyone but his own kids. His son Ben is just as similar, and a great neighbor too.
As for Joan Wertkin, I feel it will be solved at a some point…I hope.
Ken Bernard and Matt Mandell are on the committee. Lest request their opinions 👍🏼
Great AM sun photo Tom‼️🇺🇸
Erin, take a look at the self-serving, and misleading surveys used by the DPIC to justify the plan, and then we can talk. But 500 is the tip of the iceberg.
Erin, have you polled all the residents. I am interested in how you know definitively that most Westporters are for this? Do you actually live in Westport and near the vicinity of District 9? 🤔 So far I have heard of only two people that have publicly voiced support for this proposal….you and one other person.
That is hilarious
Wake up ERIN !
Very few people even know about the petition.
Once that petition had 200 signatures it was good enough for me. The plan is dead !
The selectman race came down to 65 votes 2 years ago. And here at the tip of the massive iceberg we already have 600 and counting. Please !
Wake up ! Political suicide
NOBODY is for this.. well maybe 50/30,000
Ciara Webster
And the DPIC used such a survey with less than 400 responses to craft the latest iteration of the plan. As we all know, public opinion surveys can be crafted to generate any response the surveyors are looking for. After reading and participating in the DPIC surveys, I contend that is exactly what happened with the DPIC. It was certainly not done with any malice, but an agenda and outcome was certainly in mind when the surveys were being written.
Now, over 500 people have taken a look at what has been proposed, and have said they don’t like it. And that is over a 48 hour period.
More than a year ago, on April 28, I participated in the District 9 Neighborhood Traffic and Safety Meeting with many other District 9 residents. It was headed by a panel of elected officials and town employees who listened carefully and provided explanations for some of the troubling and puzzling conditions.
The series of meetings was necessary and inspired hope amongst the attendees that here, finally was an administration and a group of concerned workers who would address problems.
Downtown parking was a major topic at that meeting… Not one resident argued for LESS parking (to my knowledge). Downtown parking is featured on the to-do spreadsheet produced and published on-line by the administration. Yet the Parker Harding plan goes in the complete opposite direction.
While the merits of the Parker Harding plan escape me, the aesthetics of a park over viewing an oily mud flat leave me unenthusiastic, and the political maneuvering seems cynical, I really want to know whether a years’ worth of evening town hall forum—with the residents of every district encouraged to voice their concerns—was an empty political stunt.
Great for the broader community HOW ? And the DPIC will do what they are told by the town residents !
This is not their town or the first selectwoman town. It is the residents town. And they best remember before committing political suicide who it was put them there.
Another unmaintained public area which nobody wants, and will be an eyesore at the cost of precious parking a contentious issue since the 1950’s.
That’s laughable.
The DPIC were quick to cite the 400 people who were sooo in favor of this laughable plan as “proof” it was warranted. Let’s see that’s 1.5% and was based upon a different plan, which still included the cut through, therefore was claimed on total mistruth.
This number is the largest number of representation bar none.
So your point is ?
Your point is respectfully not taken !
Loading zones all 5 need to be put back !
All spots need to be angled as were before. Maneuvering into a vertical spot between 2 parked cars is a recipe for disaster.
This messing around trying to make a square peg fit in a round hole is total bs. We are in a parking deficit before even discussing this craziness.
Angled spots, 5 loading zones and cut through road remains.
The loss will be 80 spots. Maybe even 100
We also need to know what the plan is for paying for this fiascos maintenance. Because right now and I caution all merchants I believe the plan is for a “special services district”
Merchants and tenants take note ! This means you will all be paying for it as it becomes “privatized” and handed over to god knows what clueless entity to do with your money what they feel like.
file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/30/00/B406029C-95AD-46D6-BCA4-B894E8F55D0E/IMG_2915.PNG
2019 draft. MERCHANTS BEWARE !
Ciara Webster
Welp, so much for the solidarity over the Ukraine. Back to butting heads in Westport. Put a huge parking garage behind the police station and have folks walk downtown or a shuttle bus. That would make Westport special . . . and nice. Parking-Harding Plaza can be converted to stores or restaurants. Why make it difficult for folks to spend their money???????????? That is what it is all about isn’t it??
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