1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker announced last week that “in coordination with the Downtown Plan Implementation Committee, discussion and reviews scheduled for town boards, committees and commissions in the upcoming weeks regarding the current proposal for the reconfiguration of the Parker Harding Plaza Parking Lot will be postponed.”
Still, last night’s Flood & Erosion Control Board agenda noted that town engineer Keith Wilberg would discuss plans to “revise the existing roadway and parking lot, build sidewalks, a riverfront boardwalk, and park areas, and to relocate trash and recycling dumpsters.”
John McCarthy reports that the board was told last night that the town pulled the Parker Harding application. However, a new application would be back, “possibly as early as September.”
Tomorrow (Friday, July 7, 10 a.m.), the Tree Board will hold a special meeting — at Parker Harding — to “observe and note the site and conditions of the trees” there.
The Tree Board will observe conditions at Parker Harding Plaza.
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Temperatures in the 90s — combined with humidity and smoke from Canadian wildfires — will make today very uncomfortable. Vulnerable populations will be especially affected.
It will moderate only slightly tomorrow.
Signs of heat-related illness include muscle cramps, fatigue, weakness, dizziness, fainting, headaches, nausea and vomiting. Children, adults 65 and older, those without access to air conditioning, outdoor workers and those with chronic health conditions are most vulnerable.
For someone experiencing heat-related illness: Move to a cool place, drink water, place cold cloths on the body and seek medical attention. For additional safety tips and information, click here.
The Westport Fire Department advises:
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water, even if not thirsty. Avoid excessive caffeinated or alcoholic beverages.
- Seek shade and limit outdoor activities: Take breaks, pace yourself, and stay in shaded or air-conditioned areas.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose-fitting, light-colored clothing. Use sunscreen and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Check on vulnerable people: Monitor the elderly, young children, and those with pre-existing conditions. Ensure access to a cool environment.
Several cooling centers will be today and tomorrow:
- Westport Weston YMCA (5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.), with showers.
- MoCa Westport (noon to 4 p.m.).
- Senior Center (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).
- Westport Library (9 a.m. to 9 p.m.).
MoCA Westport is a cool cooling center, in more ways than one.
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Westport Police made one custodial arrest between June 28 and July 5. A woman was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, and failure to drive in the proper lane, following a 1-car crash at Canal Park on Kings Highway North.
Westport Police also issued the following citations:
- Failure to obey traffic control signals: 6 citations
- Traveling unreasonably fast: 2
- Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 2
- Speeding: 1
- Distracted driving: 1
- Improper passing: 1
- Failure to yield right of way: 1
- Driving with a foreign license after 30 days: 1
- Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 1
- Violation of license class: 1
- Operating a motor vehicle without tint inspection: 1
- Failure to insure a motor vehicle: 1
One driver was cited for improper passing. This is not a view of the actual offense.
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The original opening date for Tacombi was December 2022.
Seven months later, nada.
But it looks like the first margarita may be poured soon.
(Photo/Bob Weingarten)
Danny Meyer’s restaurant — which is expanding beyond Manhattan and Brooklyn — takes over the former AJ Farm Stand.
The website calls Tacombi “a Mexican company founded on the soft sands of the Yucatan … focused on sharing authentic taco culture. Our taqueros proudly work every day to preserve and share Mexico’s culinary traditions — and we do it sustainably with wholesome, simple ingredients free of antibiotics, hormones, genetic modification or artificial additives & preservatives.”
Bartaco, Border Grille, Mexica, Mexicue, Salsa Fresca, Viva Zapata: Say ¡bienvenido!
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Westport is not the only area town with a storied arts history.
This Sunday (July 9, 1 to 4 p.m., Weston History & Culture Center) marks the opening of a new exhibit.
“Weston Illustrated: Penned, Painted & Sculpted” tells the story of influential artists between 1919-1965, and their connection to both the locals and locale of Weston.
It includes pieces on loan from the Friends of the James Daugherty Foundation, the Jenny Moore Collection, Westport Public Art Collection, Weston Public Library, Wilton Historical Society and WHCC’s collection.
Admission is free for WHCC members; non-members pay $5 (adults), $3 (children). If you mention the “CT Summer at the Museum” program at check-in, Connecticut children and one accompanying state resident adult can visit free.
The exhibit runs until February 25, 2024. The museum is open every Sunday and Thursday, from 1 to 4 p.m.
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Speaking of the arts; Ellen Ehli is the Westport Book Shop’s featured artist for July. She’ll exhibit original multi-media paintings on paper and canvas.
Ehli is a self-taught abstract artist. Working with acrylic paints, pastes, oil pastels and other mixed media, she explores texture and depth to create one-of-a-kind works. She describes her style as “retro inspired organic shapes combined with a harmonious palette.”
All pieces are available for purchase. For more of her art, click here.
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Jeffrey Hatcher — creator of the new Westport Country Playhouse adaptation of “Dial M for Murder — is the guest at a Sunday Symposium, following the July 16 3 p.m.
He’ll discuss how he re-thought the classic tale of blackmail and revenge.
The event will be moderated by Mark Lamos, Playhouse artistic director, who also directs the production.
The Symposium program is free and open to the public. No performance ticket is necessary. It begins immediately after the show, at approximately 5 p.m. Click here for more information on the show, including tickets.
Jeffrey Hatcher
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Connecticut’s General Assembly did not pass any housing bills in the session that ended last month.
But legislation involving “fair share” and “transit-oriented” development could be introduced again next year.
The Connecticut Mirror explores what did not pass and why — and what the future holds — in a long story today. Click here to read.
Transit-oriented design proposals could affect properties near the Westport train station.
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VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399 celebrates summer — and our veterans – with a BBQ.
The menu for the July 22 event (1 to 5 p.m.) includes smoked brisket, ribs, pulled pork, chicken, chili, cole slaw and corn.
All veterans — and everyone else — is invited.
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Matt Murray wins the Caption of the Year contest for this photo:
“Dog is my co-pilot.”
Mic drop!
(Photo/Matt Murray)
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Rainy weather may have put a damper on holiday plans.
But they’ve been great for fungi.
And they’re a fantastic subject for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.
(Photo/Mark Mathias)
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And finally … in honor of that fine fungus in the photo above:
Hoping the DPIC will come back with a simple “Repair and Maintain” plan, which keeps the cut through road and the parking spaces. That is what practically everyone I have spoken to from all around Westport want to see. But I’m not holding my breath.
Very disapointed to see an official meeting of the Tree Board scheduled after the 1st Selectwoman announced a pause. Really thought the “pause” was a sincere attempt to be able to listen to what people had to say. But politicians will politic.
RE: Parker Harding, it would be nice if we could stop with the games. Echoing John McCarthy, “Repair and Maintain”. This is the mantra. The voting citizens of Westport and business owners downtown (many voting too) are not wanting a disruptive “image” project.
RE: Tacombi Taqueria, Exciting. Looking forward to trying it out. Love the reimagined use of the former space.
I’ll say something on the other side of the Parker Harding debate. While I have no specific information on which plan to go with, the fact that downtown Westport uses about 90% of its waterfront on parking lots is a waste. The Parker Harding lot right now is awful to park in (narrow with tons of blind corners), usually smells funny because of the garbage cans and forces me to hold my kids hands tightly whenever we are near there because cars are whipping through the access at high speeds. I 100% agree that traffic is a major issue, but is the status quo really the best we can do?
No, it is clearly not the best we can do. Repair what is there, clean it up and then maintain it. The Grand Plan which has been proposed will only lead to Increased traffic congestion all around downtown and reduced parking which will lead to lower economic activity and thus lower property taxes collected from downtown properties.
From Town email “Notice is hereby given that the Westport Tree Board Special Meeting scheduled for July 7, 2023 at 10:00 AM has been CANCELED.”
This snippet from CTInsider may help Westporters determine ROI on the First Selectwoman:
WESTPORT — The town’s next first selectman’s salary will be $150,000, up from its current amount of $104,925, after the Representative Town Meeting overwhelmingly voted for the pay hike at a meeting last week.
Clark, unfortunately the town of Westport chose to put all its parking or a lot of it on the waterfront many many years ago.
It also allowed retail and business to continue to grow. Yet no new parking was added.
So now we have no choice but to maintain parking where it sits, on the river.
Let’s also be honest other than being a body of very dirty water it’s not like we are missing out on Santorini here.
I’m not being facetious when I say I’m sure the town would be thrilled to suggest (and has) you park at the imperial downtown(not) lot.
It is a mere 20 minute walk to get to GG and joes from there to grab your coffee.
Might take 25/30 minutes with little ones braving all the intersections along the way. Oh and don’t Forget that’s almost an hour round trip… 🤔 god forbid it might be raining.
Apparently DPIC think this is perfectly acceptable. Do any of them plan on parking there ? Hmmm I think not. Imperial is where the desperate will park. It will be that place when you are meeting your friends for a time sensitive lunch downtown, and you have not shown up and run 30 minutes late, your friends will buy you the “imperial “ cocktail. The one with the short straw in it. And on a rainy day when you arrive at your destination looking like a drowned rat because of your 20 plus minute walk, people will look on sympathetically and whisper, imperial🙄
Unfortunately few agree with DPIC and do not think of imperial as anything but a spot to host the farmers market and remarkable theatre and levitt parking. Possibly the farmers market might even be able to happen more often than only once a week, which would be fantastic.
I might suggest that the art show and other events including the October fest would be wonderful if they were hosted there, and might make use of what amounts to “long term airport parking” equivalent.
Let’s spend some of the free tax payer funded money and free government tax payer funded money on imperial lot and make it a fabulous event space for the farmers market and art shows, etc..
let’s be very clear. Nobody coming to Westport to shop, dine, run errands, or snack is parking 20 minutes away. And it’s not because people are allergic to exercise, it is because people have busy lives that do not include a hazardous walk to grab offer or pick up a t shirt.
. But I’m sure many fantastic events could happen there if it were maintained and not in utter ruin.
Here’s the other thing about building high maintenance green space as beautiful as it is, it does not trim, prune, mow or water itself. And those tasks are not free.
Everything especially elaborate design plans require maintenance, labor intensive and very expensive maintenance.
High time what we already have be maintained before we add to the shiny “new” list.
Ciara
Buchroeder. Provocateur. It’s hard to see the rationale for your comments about Westport since your stake is minimal. I counsel you to evaluate what benefits you are getting out of your postings. Confidentiality, there’s not much here.
Mr. Liepolt, I appreciate your opinion and respect you for stating how you feel in what is a public forum. I wish I could say the same for those who are in current positions of leadership as has been related on this blog. I have nothing to gain or to lose personally, I would simply like to see Westport get the leadership that it deserves. Dan has taken me to task on various occasions and I have told him that I have no problem with him exercising whatever type of restraint he wishes on my comments.