As the date nears for a decision from the Long Lots School Building Committee to decide on a plan to renovate or build a new structure to replace the 70-year-old elementary school, they posted “Frequently Asked Questions” — and answers — on the town website, and social media.
Westport Community Gardens director Lou Weinberg takes issues with those questions and answers. His responses are below.
First, “06880” asked LLSBC chair Jay Keenan for his reaction to Weinberg’s comments. Keenan said:
The committee will continue to conduct its work at our meetings in Town Hall. The committee is made up of volunteers and has no nefarious or hidden agenda. The goal of the committee is to achieve the best long-term solution and value for the Long Lots School Community and the Town of Westport.
The public is welcome to attend the committee meetings and time is set aside at all of our meetings for opinions, comments and questions (typically at the beginning and again at the end).
The next meeting of the LLSBC is planned for Thursday, August 31 (6 p.m., Town Hall Room 201).
==============================================
Is the public allowed at LLSBC meetings?
The answer states that community members are welcome and encouraged to attend.
The reality is that if anyone was ever encouraged to attend, there has been no indication of that whatsoever. In the first paragraph of the document, it states that “the building committee is not intended to be a committee of project stakeholders.”
If the community surrounding the Long Lots Elementary School Building, including residents and the Community Gardens community is not considered stakeholders on the committee, does that mean that no one affected by this project is a stakeholder?
Westport Community Gardens members, at last fall’s harvest party.
Should a committee with this sort of impact on the surrounding community have encouraged residents in the community garden to attend these meetings from the beginning?
Again, they say that “community members are welcome and encouraged to attend.” Why wasn’t a notice sent out to the community from the very beginning “encouraging“ them to attend?
Once the Community Gardener’s found out that options for a new build included eliminating the community gardens, the building committee scheduled a meeting for the same night as the Westport fireworks. Does that “encourage” people to attend?
The document states that “LLSBC meetings had been held in small Townhall meeting rooms, because attendance had been limited. This was in no way, and attempt to dissuade people from attending. With the recent increase in interest in attendance, we have been working to schedule meetings in larger meeting space at Town Hall.”
Attendance at the LLSBC meetings had been small because no one knew that Westport Community Gardens would even be considered for elimination. At 100 to 150 yards away from a new school build, and surrounded by residential homes, there was no reasonable expectation that the project would extend to the community gardens. In fact, the mandate handed to the building committee states nothing about utilizing the Community Gardens and Preserve property. The mandate includes finding play space and fields adjacent to the school cafeteria and gymnasium.
Once the community gardeners found out, by chance, that the gardens and preserve were on the chopping block under one of the scenarios, dozens of people showed up. Since the end of June, as large amounts of people have been attending these meetings, there have been no scheduled meetings in a larger space at Town Hall. Where is the “working to schedule meetings in a larger meeting space a Town Hall.” Or any other building for that matter?
Who owns the property surrounding the Long Lots School building?
The document states that the town of Westport owns all the property that is part of the Long Lots campus (this includes parking areas, fields, play spaces, driveways and Gardens).
They use the term Long Lots “campus.” This leads the reader to believe that the gardens are on the Long Lots property, which they are not. This is a false narrative. The town’s legal department has issued an opinion stating that the Board of Education‘s interest in the property ends at the curb of the parking lot near the gardens. The gardens are on Parks and Recreation Department property. They are not part of the Long Lots ”campus.”
Long Lots Elementary School. The Westport Community Gardens are to the left (south) of the parking lot in the lower left corner of the image. (Drone photo/Brandon Malin)
Why are we considering options that relocate or modify site elements such as the Westport Community Gardens and preserve?
Once again, the LLSBC uses the word “relocate.” Relocate means bulldozing what exists and starting over again somewhere else. This is a misinformation tactic that they have used over and over and over again. It is used to soften the blow that the garden property will be bulldozed.
The document states that the project requires “balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders – students, parents, Community Gardeners, recreational athletes, neighbors and taxpayers. Their project, as mandated by the Board of Education did not include utilizing the property where the Westport Community Gardens and the Long Lots Preserve are located. Not only does the April 21, 2023 document from the Board of Education to the building committee say nothing about using the garden/preserve property, it specifically states that play areas and fields should be located “in close proximity to the gymnasium and/or cafeteria.” Additionally, in my recent conversation with the Superintendent of Schools, he stated that when the Board of Ed gave their mandate to the Long Lots School building committee in April 2022, he was comforted by having a community garden/preserve property as a “buffer“ between the new school construction and the local resident homeowners.
The document goes on to say “with respect to the Westport Community Gardens specifically, there may be options to preserve the gardens in their current location, but governing bodies need to understand, and taxpayers deserve to know, the cost in trade-offs of that option, as well as all other options, to determine the best path forward.” it is here that they introduce the concept that keeping the gardens will cost taxpayers money. In addition to the gardens and preserve not mandated as a physical part of their project, they are now appear to be leveraging additional cost as to why the Gardens may be moved. It is unclear to everyone, so far, how keeping the gardens where they are will be an additional “cost” to the town. Moving the gardens and building a new ballfield will be an additional cost to the town.
Aerial view of the Westport Community Gardens.
Will the WCG and preserve be permanently eliminated?
The document states “No. There are no new build, expander, renovate, options, that permanently eliminate the Westport Community Gardens in Preserve from the property.”
Once again, the document sticks to the false narrative that the Gardens and Preserve won’t be permanently eliminated. What it fails to mention, again, is that the WCG and the LLP, in their current state, will be permanently eliminated, and they will need to be restarted somewhere else.
Will the WCG and Preserve definitely be relocated?
In the document, it states that “through mid August, the LLSBC have been reviewing preliminary feasibility options for just the school building.” This runs contrary to discussions the LLSBC was having at a meeting in late June. When discussing options for a new build, all three options at the time considered eliminating the Westport Community Gardens and Long Lots Preserve from where they are situated now. Follow up discussions with LLSBC members included statements from them noting “that was just moving squares on a map.“
The document goes on to state that “In some draft plans, the gardens and preserve remain, and in some the gardens will need to be modified or relocated.” Once again, the LLSBC was not charged with utilizing gardens and preserve property. Additionally, the false narrative of “relocating” the garden appears again.
Artists, at a recent Westport Community Gardens open house.
If the WCG and preserve needs to be modified to relocate it, will this impact both the gardens and the preserve?
The document states that “in options where the gardens need to be relocated, it is possible that most, if not all, of the preserves could remain. Additional preserves could also be created adjacent to any potential new site for the gardens.”
This sets up what is a negotiating point for the LLSBC, so that they can state that they saved the preserve, but are “relocating“ the gardens. They appear to be appeasing the neighbors on the east and south side of the property while putting a ballfield very close to the neighbors on the west side of the property. That should take some of the pressure off of them from the neighbors should they put a ballfield there. Stating that additional preserves could also be created appears to be another “appeasing” negotiating tactic.
And, of course, they referred to a “new site” for the gardens.
Can the WCG be relocated?
The document states that “there are differing views on whether the WCG can be relocated. The LLSBC respects the perspectives of many Gardeners and residents who feel that relocating the Gardens is the same as eliminating them. Understandably, the notion of relocating the gardens is unsettling to some community members. The LLSBC recognizes that relocating the gardens could likely impact some vegetation, and that the relocated Gardens may not be identical to the garden, says they stand today.”
It is clear that the LLSBC has had little to no respect for our perspective. This is a hollow statement. They use the words “ impacting some vegetation” and “unsettling.” This is condescending, patronizing, and insulting. They will not “impact some vegetation”, they will impact all vegetation. “Unsettling?” I will refrain from comment here.
The document goes on to produce one of the more outlandish paragraphs, which reads “Gardens, in general, can be relocated. If this option is pursued, the Town would look to provide nutrient-rich soil, rebuild the raised planting beds, and support the process of relocating plants and shrubs, as well as planting new shrubs and trees to create new preserve areas.
While I respect the talents of the engineers, architects, and others on the LLSBC, I’m doubtful that they are experts on soil, gardening and preserves. Additionally, why are we even considering moving all of this for a ballfield? It doesn’t add up.
Possibly the most tone deaf comment in the document states that “while some vegetation may not survive the relocation, not all vegetation survives in any given year due to a variety of reasons (weather, drought, pests, etc.) And trade-offs will be necessary in any project.” I don’t know about you all, but my plants have done quite well for the last 20 years. As far as “trade-offs” are concerned, there are no trade-offs to moving a 20 year old Community Gardens and newly established Long Lots Preserve. I don’t even know what “trade-offs” means here.
The next sentence states, “Relocating the WCG, would also provide an opportunity for the WCG to partner on the design of a more efficient and user-friendly garden, design and layout, helping to eliminate poor drainage, issues and areas of invasive weeds in the current location.”
It does not appear that the authors of this document understand that we do not need a more efficient and user-friendly garden design. We already have one. We do not need have poor drainage issues. Sometimes, when it rains a lot, our soil gets saturated. Like everywhere else, including any other site the gardens may be located. We do not have invasive weeds in our current location. We have weeds. We can take care of the weeds we have ourselves. We always have.
Once again, that statement is condescending, tone deaf, and insulting.
An aerial view of Long Lots School. The current baseball field, and adjacent former football/soccer field, are adjacent. Other soccer fields, down the hill to the north (top) are not shown.
Will all the current recreational soccer and baseball fields on the property be replaced or will any fields be eliminated?
The answer to this question includes “the building committee is exploring options for placement of the fields, and will present any trade-offs, such as smaller field sizes or elimination of fields across the different feasibility options.“
At the last LLSBC meeting, there was significant discussion around an LLSBC design option that puts an even larger baseball field over the area of the Westport Community Gardens and Long Lots Preserve.
Can fields to be moved to another location in town?
The essence of the response in this document is that “it is not the LLSBC’s responsibility to decide whether gardens or recreational field should be prioritized in the options being developed.” Basically what this does is allow the LLSBC to destroy the gardens, put a new ballfield where the gardens were, and absolve themselves of any responsibility in the process. What they are doing here is passing the buck to the Department of Parks and Recreation.
What appears to be happening here is that the Parks And Recreation Department will get a new large ballfield at the expense of the gardens under the guise of doing what’s in the best interest for the students at Long Lots Elementary School according to the LLSBC. The waters get very muddy here. And then they get very clear.
The document goes onto state, “The building committee’s responsibility is to determine all of the feasible options for building, expanding or renovating LLS, including the feasible site plans associated with the options.”
Nowhere in the LLSBC’s mandate, does it state that the site plans should include the area over 100 yards away from the school. Again, the BOE mandate states that play areas and fields should be located adjacent to the school.
Again, the document states that “Parks and rec is responsible for determining whether the town has the appropriate quantity and types of fields to meet recreational needs. The building committee has asked that parks and rec continue to pursue other options for field space as a possible alternative to the LLS site.”
This appears to show that the LLSBC is determining what goes where on property (that they are not mandated to address), and then explaining that the result of their decisions are the responsibility of the parks and rec department. Some thing about this doesn’t seem right.
It almost seems as if this is a land grab by the Parks and Rec Department with an assist from the LLSBC and possibly others. Why is the LLSBC showing design options that will benefit the Parks and Rec Department which do not enhance the educational value of the students at Long Lots Elementary School?
Can we move the baseball field instead of the WCG if it comes to that?
The document states that “due to field sizes and the flat topography required, the WCG and fields are not easily interchangeable in terms of placement.” This sets up a ballfield versus Westport Community Gardens scenario.
The document goes onto state “a high school baseball field requires approximately 160,000 ft.² (+/- 4 acres) of flatland, and 200,000 ft.² when including parking. The WCG currently 44,000 ft.² can be flexible in terms of size and does not require equal grading across the entire garden.”
There currently does not exist a high school baseball field at Long Lots. There is a small baseball field there. It begs the question why they are even discussing a high school baseball field. Why, if the mandate of the LLSBC is to get a first rate educational facility for our district‘s students, are they discussing a high school baseball field on property?
Then, of course, they re-introduce the cost question stating that “It would be likely be significantly more expensive to re-grade or move drainage areas on other parts of the LLS site, even if a field could fit in those areas. If there are any areas where fields could fit, that would enable the WCG to remain in its current location, the LLSBC is assessing the cost of regrading, changing drainage, etc. so the town governing voters can consider all options.“
Once again, the document pits a high school baseball field against the Westport Community Gardens. It then implies that it would cost more to keep the gardens in place than it would be to move the gardens and build a new high school baseball field where the gardens are.
It begs the question, what is going on here? What is wrong with this picture?
(Click here for a link to the full Long Lots School Building Committee’s “Frequently Asked Questions.”)
(“06880” covers education, environment and town politics — separately and, sometimes, together in one story. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Some of the food grown at the Westport Community Gardens.
I thank Jay and all the other volunteers for their work and dedication. I served with Jay on the RTM and know he is a dedicated, volunteer public servant. Unfortunately he and the committee are saddled with a “tradition” of closed government behavior out of town hall which inevitably leads to these types of conflicts. This has never been more true than today when technology has taught us to expect near-instantaneous access to information. I believe that radical sharing of town data and information at all times needs to become the New Tradition and practice in all boards and committees in town. This will make for better fact-based decision making and raise the overall trust in town government. For more information please check out our amateurish but heartfelt website at openwestport.org
Although it took the Frick Collection’s board of trustees a year to develop a new plan to expand the museum, the trustees bowed to public opinion and abandoned its expansion plan that would demolish the 70th Street viewing garden.
Public gardens are important – community gardens are important and deserve respect.
Please come to the Westport Community Gardens this morning (Sunday Aug 27) from 10am to noon a pop-up. There will be vegetables and flowers from the garden. Come see what a treasure these gardens are and help support saving them.
Hey fellow Westporters…. Want to see what’s at stake if the Community Gardens are destroyed? Stop by the “Pop up” at the Gardens this morning (Sunday Aug 27th, 10 to Noon). Enjoy the beauty and, perhaps some veggies or flowers. 13 Hyde Lane, across the parking lot from Long Lots Elementary School.
To say a 20 year old Community Gardens can be easily relocated misses the point. Yes, you can create new plots, fencing, irrigation, etc. But what you cannot easily relocate is the wildlife, the pollinators, the trees, current plantings, etc. For those who think this can be easily be replicated, drop by the Gardens today, Sunday, August 27th between 10-noon to experience mother nature at its best. If not today, make an appointment with any of the 120 gardening families and we will give you a personal tour. A 20 year old institution, enjoyed by so many generations of families, shouldn’t have to fight for its survival in a town that relishes nature and its wildlife. But yet here we are. When I started gardening here 11 years ago, I marveled at this treasure in this beautiful artsy town. I felt so lucky and privileged to be able to enjoy the tranquility, the oasis this community provides. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Thank you Dan for you continued reporting on this important issue. Here are some of my thoughts raised by you, the chair of the Westport Community Gardens and others.
1. Let’s expand the options or transparency and incorporate a Zoom option. Not too far fetches and certainly we have the technology. It allows for people listen perhaps on their commute home, etc.
2. Once the community found out about the building community meetings – certainly in the last meeting I attended in mid-August – people spilled out into the hallway.
3. If the gardens are not part of Long Lots campus, and are on Parks and Recreation Department property, or under their direction, is Parks & Rec driving these decisions to get another ball field? If there are 20 fields already in town, has a use study been done?
4. “The April 21, 2023 document from the Board of Education to the building committee say nothing about using the garden/preserve property, it specifically states that play areas and fields should be located “in close proximity to the gymnasium and/or cafeteria.” Where is the BOE’s voice in all this debate?
5. COST of MOVING: If the building committee recommends “relocating” the ball fields, have they considered the considerable cost of this and outlining it for all to see:
a. Building beds with non-pressure treated wood. (no chemicals)
b. Cost of hauling in hundreds of thousands of yard of organic soil?
c. Cost of putting up the fence.
d. Cost of moving Long Lots Preserve.
e. Cost of using town workers to rebuild – considerable.
f. Etc.
6. “The building committee document goes on to produce one of the more outlandish paragraphs, which reads “Gardens, in general, can be relocated.”
Twenty years went into producing the biodiverse gardens, perhaps the town leaders need a refresher on the importance of it. As Yale experts explain.
https://sustainability.yale.edu/explainers/yale-experts-explain-biodiversity
8. There is an abundance of research that addresses the loss of biodiversity. Here is just one article from 2018 that was sounding the alarm: Stop biodiversity loss or we could face our own extinction, warns UN
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/03/stop-biodiversity-loss-or-we-could-face-our-own-extinction-warns-un
These are just some of the concerns and questions that Lou Weinberg brings up and I hope are addressed.
The soil studies are important. Thank you! I spoke with soil experts at Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station a few days ago. They concur that soil development is a time consuming process that cannot be easily replicated. There is one possible shortcut to preserve some of the soil evolution: move the top 1 to 2 feet of all the soil to the new location. Not very practical and certainly doesn’t replicate the complete biodiversity of the overall multi-acre site.
Mr. Weinberg makes a persuasive case for preserving the community gardens and it would appear that there is substantial public sentiment consistent with his position. What is not clear to me is why the Long Lots Building Committee has been so opaque about its process and so unwilling to engage with the public and the gardeners about the issue. If it is true that the land on which the garden stands is under the jurisdiction of Parks and Rec., how has the building committee’s usurpation of control over the site gone unchallenged? Something’s amiss here and the public has a right to know what’s going on behind the scenes.
The conflict between the LLBSC and the WCG and Preserve brings to mind the recent brouhaha over the Parker-Harding Plaza development plan. The main difference being the scale of the opposition. In the Parker-Harding Plaza case, all residents of Westport were stakeholders as it is a big part of their daily lives. As such, the opposition to the original plan had a great impact on its outcome. The result being a revised development plan with a more workable solution. The WCG on the other hand is comprised of approximately 100+ stakeholders and their families. Sadly, this is clearly a David versus Goliath situation and will remain so unless one of two things occur. The residents of Westport recognize the importance of the WCG and Preserve to our town, or the LLBSC abandons its myopic attitude and view toward the WCG and Preserve.
The fact that the LLSBC has developed options that do not disturb the Garden or Preserve make this super simple in my mind. Pursue one of those. Why would the town take any other course?
This new FAQ seems to be hinting that the answer to that question is “to save money”.
It is probably ALWAYS more economical to just cut down trees, disrupt natural habitats and bulldoze green spaces into manicured fields. Just because it is the cheapest way to proceed does not make it the optimal way to proceed. Shouldn’t environmental impact also be a factor in whatever optimization the town is pursuing?
The folly of shortsighted decisions that value money over nature is an old, repetitive, and sad story. Dr. Seuss published a children’s story about it in 1971: The Lorax. It is baffling to me that the Town Selectwoman, the RTM, the BOE and the LLSBC would choose to ignore the lessons and wisdom that are so fundamental and basic that every child in our community learned them from a children’s book published over 50 years ago.
Do the right thing for our community. Choose the option that preserves our environment.
I am new to the garden this week and plan to write a longer comment later, but I have an ask if you are reading this.
If you believe the garden should be taken off the table for the new long lots project and not be considered as available leave a comment that says…..
TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE
If you haven’t been to the WCG, please click on this link for a virtual tour. Any other town would celebrate and protect this town gem. We can do better, Westport. We only have one garden. If we destroy it, it’s gone forever.
https://youtu.be/lGceWZ_1Os0?si=06iaB2yUR-c43iGt
I hope we are able to have a more productive relationship with our town representatives going forward. We are all volunteers, committee members and gardeners alike. We are all passionate about serving the best interests of students and town residents. We can solve this.
The sticking point: why build high-school-caliber baseball field at an elementary school?
The BOE specs for Long Lots do not call for this. It is my understanding that Parks and Rec has jurisdiction over the WCG as well as the town’s Babe Ruth baseball fields. Is it time to take the conversation to the Parks and Rec Commission?.
The Park and Recreation Commission is appointed by the Selectwoman for a four-year term. They meet monthly at Town Hall. The next meetings as posted are Sept. 20, Oct. 18, Nov. 15, Dec. 20, Jan. 17. All posted meetings start at 7:30 pm in Town Hall Room 201. The members are;
Davis Floyd
Matthew Haynes
Chrissy O’Keefe
Alec Stevens
Elaine Whitney
Go and check out the garden today from 10-12 it’s a magical and peaceful space. So well worth saving and preserving.
The planetary health crisis stems inevitably from the perception that humans are separate from nature. Obviously it is an illusion that we are separate from nature because we are nature. The issue stems from the fact that humans believe/perceive themselves to be separate from nature. This separation is deeply rooted in all of our civilizational systems. The Westport conflict of sports field versus the community garden is a prime example of how this maladaptive perception plays out in modern society. The planetary health crisis is a complex and compounding crisis that not only includes a rise in global temperatures, but also biodiversity loss, soil erosion, fresh water depletion, and ocean acidification. Loss of biodiversity contributes to all four of the other crises. At a time when we are facing potentially 1.5 degrees C warming to 4 degrees C warming, the consequences of which could lead to human extinction and civilizational collapse, it makes no sense that the Long Lots Building Committee would be replacing a biodiverse community garden with a sports field. This perhaps speaks to the degree of denial of our planetary predicament. To create a flourishing future for our children and future generations, Westport should create more community garden spaces throughout the Westport School District and grow together, forging an educational relationship. The Westport Schools could then invite schoolchildren into the garden to gain experience growing food, learn about soil health, what goes into producing food, biodiversity, and environmental conservation. Furthermore, the community aspect of the garden is so important during this time when we need to create more community and come together. The Westport Community Garden could provide a space for intergenerational education and collaboration. Research shows that spending time in nature contributes to an overall increase in human social, emotional and psychological wellbeing. The famed Edible Schoolyard in California has been hugely successful (https://edibleschoolyard.org). The mission of the Edible Schoolyard is to transform “public education by using organic school gardens, kitchens, and cafeterias to teach both academic subjects and the values of nourishment, stewardship, and community.” It is no coincidence that we are seeing a rise in ADHD in children at a time when our children spend more and more time indoors on screens. Richard Louv coined the term “Nature Deficit Disorder” to capture the negative impact on human beings, especially children, of spending less time outdoors than they have in the past, leading to a wide range of behavioral problems (https://www.proquest.com/openview/a987ec02528b8b51140c9486b2ff8431/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=25318). Given that we are living in a planetary health emergency, it behooves us to consider the social, emotional, psychological, and environmental impact of getting rid of or relocating the Westport Community Gardens (especially given that you cannot effectively relocate such a large area of vegetation without compromising health of the garden and preserve). Rather than see the garden as an obstacle to what is best for our children, why not leverage the garden for what we know is best for our children at this time — a contained environment outdoors where children can gain experiential education? I understand that keeping the garden may be more expensive to taxpayers (although there is a lack of transparency around this issue), how do we put a price tag on the environment, which is ultimately, our life support system? How do we put a price tag on the health of our children? What if we prioritized a more holistic view of health and wellbeing? Might we be able to come up with a solution that benefits all stakeholders? Can you imagine all of us trusting each other, working together for our common home? What might that look like?
TAKE IT OFF ‼️
Thanks for reading my comment Tom!
Do I hear another….
TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE?
TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE!
That’s three let’s make it 30,000
Of historical note, marvelous soil, mighty producing, astonishing community gardens, were once before removed in order to construct school buildings/playing fields. We HAD a garden there. Sal Gilbertie details these particular gardens in his book, Home Gardening at it’s Best. Some things do not change.
I am just home from a very well attended Pop Up Garden event. Those who did not know the Gardens may be bulldozed and replaced with a baseball field looked aghast! They understood the majesty and beauty of this twenty year creation, with lush, fertile soil, can not be relocated. With less and less people playing baseball/softball and more need than ever for green space in an ever warming climate, we are all confused.
TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE!
They want to astroturf paradise and put up a ballfield.
“The committee is made up of volunteers and has no nefarious or hidden agenda” – Please…spare me…why all the secrecy then?
To claim LLBC’s work has been transparent hitherto is an affront to all Westport town residents – don’t take us for fools…as a community we are better than this.In that case why is no one from the gardens governance committee also on the building committee?
As another resident commented here – why build a high school ball field at an elementary school and strike down twenty years of natural gardens and preserves any of our sister towns would be mightily proud of…
I would love to know how many folks on the LLSBC play adult softball which one of the garden’s neighbors suggested to me today may be the REAL reason for this idiotic and unnecessary land grab under the cover of darkness.
Hopefully the BOE, the BOF and the RTM will see this for what it is and put a stop to this nonsense – preventing the First Selectwoman’s self-appointed judge, jury and executioners on the LLSBC from bulldozing our magnificent community gardens. Once they are gone they are gone forever – they cannot be moved. Separating them from the preserve tells me they have no understanding of the point of each co-existing and therefore the committee lacks the knowledge to make an informed decision.
While I encourage volunteerism in our community I recall long-time former resident Paul Newman’s (RIP) movie “Cool Hand Luke…”
“A man’s got to know his limitations!..”
TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE!!!
It’s often the case that it is not what someone tells you about something…it’s what they don’t tell you. Unfortunately, this is what I have witnessed at the LL Building committee meetings. Very disappointing. Save the gardens, the preserve and the 50 maple trees in the parking lot and be kind to Mother Earth…so needed.
TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE! It should never have been on the table in the first place.
Take it off the table!
Yes, I agree! Just take it off the table.
TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE NOW
TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE!
TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE!
TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE!!!!
Why is it even on the table if “The town’s legal department has issued an opinion stating that the Board of Education‘s interest in the property ends at the curb of the parking lot near the gardens.”?
TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE. as stated in numerous other comments, eliminating the Westport Community Gardens has nothing to do with the building of a new school. It sounds like what is in play here is the building of new high-school size or adult baseball/softball fields – nothing to do with the elementary school kids. The notion of taking over the gardens for a field NOT benefiting the Long Lots students is ludicrous.
If there are discussions about moving the current field AND the WCG, why move 2 things when you can just move one? Leave the precious gardens and preserve alone and find a new spot for the totally unrelated, bigger and better (non-elementery school) baseball field.
TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE!
Thank you Dan for your continued coverage of the threat to the garden and preserve. TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE!
The Long Lots Building Committee made a mistake. It should never have considered the possibility of the elimination or alteration of the Community Gardens and the Preserve at their present sites on Town property. TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE Build a new school or renovate the existing school. If some aspect of playgrounds must be compromised, so be it.. Do not alter the Community Gardens and the Preserve.
TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE, please
(Janine, agreed, fresh produce on the table would be a better option for all, school kids included.)
For what it’s worth, many of the people sitting on the LLSBC are the very same people who shepherded the Coleytown Middle School renovations from 2018-21. Trust me, I was super-involved with that project for two full years and there were many contentious decisions and debates along the way. When the committee started out, I trusted little of what was said or done. I attended every meeting and questioned everything. I’m sure the Committee did a collective silent eye-roll every time I appeared. That said, by the end of the renovation, I was, by far, the committee’s biggest fan. In retrospect, I realize their job was to consider everything…the kids, the property, the town, the taxpayers…EVERYTHING! Ultimately, I don’t think I can overstate how pleased the community has been with that renovation. It was a smashing success by all accounts.
Because of that, I have the utmost confidence this committee is just trying to do their due diligence. As frustrating as it may seem, they are again considering everything. Nothing here is a fait accompli, it’s all a discussion.
To the WCG Folks, my advice is to keep attending the meetings and making your opinions known. The LLSBC will listen. These are good folks volunteering their own free time to help our town.
All that said, I hope that after consideration of every possible angle, the committee decides to…TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE! We have several ball fields but only one garden.
Thank you for your comment. I think the problem is that the Chair of the committee has made it clear that their directive is to fulfill the BOE’s goals, which don’t take into account the existence of the Gardens at all.
I would love for someone – the First Selectwoman, the BOE, or Jay Keenan, to raise their hands and take responsibility for the idea that land on which the Community Gardens and Long Lots Preserve sit is part of their considerations in the first place.
At what public debate did we decide to reverse the twenty-year decision made by our local Boards when they established Westport Community Gardens? This is a land grab – nothing more or less.
TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE. If there is a need for another high school sized ball field might I suggest the area of Barron’s
North which is currently being used by the state for the expansion of the Post Road. This is town owned property that is flat & under utilized by the public.
Take it off the table. It would be a crime to have this garden taken away. I paid a visit today for the first time, our children could learn from it. Someone need to open their eyes.
While there is no final plan, I am not on the committee, but a part of a nonpartisan voting body proudly for six years, I am going to say what some may not agree with or how I am speaking before any option is available.
I do not see the gardens being moved, destroyed or removed. I hope they do not. You cannot replant trees, or the crops that have given people a place of solace, but also a loving work of art. This is art. We do not tear down or throw out art.
To those who have plots, it is personal. I would take it personal if the town wanted to remove my island I have maintained and learned about since 2019, now up to three additional gardens I maintain. I love it. Gave me freedom and great physical therapy after my car accident.
The building committee are experts who have invested in the community for decades but also themselves. To be appointed to such committee, you have to brilliant and they are amazing at what they do!!! Jay, Don, Joe, Tim, and many others are all great people and I have worked with all of them on many issues and even knew me as a kid.
I think a lot could have been prevented had people gone to the first few meetings, may be it’s because we never fathomed that but this is why you go to meetings, commit to be involved in the dialogue, never be afraid to speak, and always do your own research. If you cannot make a meeting, go online and read the agenda!!!
I am standing to keep the gardens as is, where is, undisturbed.
Next, build gardens at Barons Property, next to the senior center, great exercise and centralized to bathrooms, water, shade, a place to cool down, and even help revitalize the grounds. This is something I would definitely task for do and can definitely find and get the support to make it happen.
Take it off the table. Period. It’s time. Opposition is building and will continue to do so. Stop enraging people. Never should have been in play and the elementary kids don’t need a high school sized baseball field.
“Take it off the table”…. Today was a great community event. With so many students, community members, gardeners and elected representatives.
The LLBC are full of great people. They have been saddled with a tough brief. But I believe the Westport Community Gardens should never have been on the table in the first place.
I call on elected representatives to step forward and say, “take it off the table”
Thank you, Robert!
TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE!
So good of the LLSBC to draft Q& A. They should answer a few they have not asked:
Why had the idea and authority to put a major league ballfield on the Gardens? Who promoted that idea that was not in the BOE educational specs? Did that idea come from Parks and Recs or the town administration or LLSBC? What is the educational purpose of a ballfield larger than the playing field at Yankee Stadium 1000 ft. from the proposed school? Can any 4h or 5th grader even throw from third base to first? Can any LLS athlete pitch from a mound to home?
Without doubt, a new school or a radically rebuilt one must be available to Westport students and those in special ed programs. Rather than suggesting that saving the Gardens will cost taxpayers, the LLSBC should scope out the costs of a new/rebuilt school without a new ballfield and, given the present bonding costs, what the new mill rate might be for taxpayers.
TAKE THE GARDENS OFF THE TABLE!!
The town attorney has put forth a legal opinion, which is clear and that opinion should be respected. This parcel of land is out of their jurisdiction. Take this proposal off the table.
TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE! Absurd that it’s even being considered
Forgive my snarkiness, but the Community Gardens are not on wheels to be easily carted away and repositioned as if it was a potted plant. If it were that easy, why not move Compo Beach or Longshore somewhere else, and replace them with the new Long Lots School, where students could study marine biology and water sports. The Gardens are literally rooted in the earth from which they sprung after 20 years of loving care and thoughtful curation to benefit the community. Buildings are moveable and replaceable but the town’s natural assets are not, and any thought of destroying this treasure under the pretense of saving it, should be off the table and into a dumpster ASAP.
Take it off the table! – the WCG is a place of solace and renewal. It’s multi-generational, inexpensive to join and self-sustaining. We should be celebrating it, not bulldozing it for yet another field. And seriously – if there is land available somewhere for a garden that has good drainage and is flat… why not put the new field there?
In addition to my previous comment, I forgot to thank the LLSBC. I’ve attended several LLS Building Committee meetings and am in awe of the monumental task the committee has been assigned. I know that the process is still in its early stages and will need to be reviewed by several departments before a final proposal is approved. That being said, I believe it was important for the committee members to tour the garden while at the height of the season & am so grateful that many of them did. It is also important to make the residences of Westport aware of the ecological importance of the garden & the LL Preserve. As such several garden members reached out to their RTM representatives & town officials to tour the garden as well. The garden & the preserve need to be seen to appreciate their importance. By making our town aware, the hope is that the new school & garden can continue to grow together. The point being that you can not move 20 years of good soil that has been painstakingly carted into the garden, the perennials and the pergola which was an eagle scout project, that is covered in 8+ year old grapevines. Moving the garden is eliminating the garden.
I know there are a lot of factors that need to be considered; parking, the existing elementary school ball fields, the ever growing enrollment & sustainability to name a few. Before the process advances further I personally hope that the new school & the garden can co-exist. I hope that the building committee & the various departments come to the same conclusion.
I just want to say take it off the table from sal liccione rtm district 9 member
Please do not destroy these lovely gardens.
TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE
All these comments are to the point and very well expressed. There is NO scenario under which the gardens should be touched so, I agree, Take It Off the Table!
I was told by a reliable source, that a Long Lots Building Committee member said, “If you want to persevere the Community Gardens, you will need to buy the land.”
I hope that this was misinterpreted.
My responce to hearing this was that this strategy of playing favorites with special interest is nothing new. If you’re a golfer or tennis player the town subsidies those recreational activities. If you’re a boater, for the 1st time in the town’s history, the boaters paid for dredging. If you read the town’s laws regarding the posting of signs, the Little League fields are out of compliance.
I personally believe that education must be a priority. I also know there’s a way of addressing the long overdue Long Lots building needs without sacrificing the Community Garden.
Take it off the table.
Take it off the table now!!!!
As stated at the 8-31-2023 LLSBC meeting by Lou Weinberg, there are architects who are willing to volunteer and assist in the plans to renovate or build the Long Lots Elementary School and save the Gardens, Preserve and ball fields. So yes, with this in mind, “Take it off the table” and let’s work together to grow Westport. Rather than be a house divided, we can be united moving forward.