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Hoyt Barnum
f a l l 2 o 1 5Fall 2o15Newsletter
StamfordArboretum
StamfordHistorical Society
113 8
n o r t h s t a m f o r d n e w s
Steve ColeAsst. SecretaryGary [email protected]
Jackie KaikoMill [email protected]
Paul KaranChestnut Hill [email protected]
Pat SasserSkyline [email protected] m
Douglas YorkDavenport Farm Lane [email protected]
Tom LombardoPresidentHickory [email protected]
Gail OkunVice PresidentErskine Road
Jack HalpertVice PresidentCricket [email protected]
Art GelstonTreasurerMohawk [email protected]
Hal MathisAsst. TreasurerSawmill [email protected]
Hiro NakajimaSecretaryConstance [email protected]
Helene DevinMill [email protected]
Mark DiamondWest [email protected]
Mo GlucksmanSunset [email protected]
Rachel LussierCascade [email protected]
Web:www.northstamfordassoc.org
Email:[email protected]
Twitter:@NorthStamford
Facebook:northstamfordassociation
Mark DiamondEditor
Bob CallahanDesigner
Published by theNorth Stamford
AssociationPhone: 2o3.329.2498
Hoyt Barnum
f a l l 2 o 1 5
daaaaaaal
The North Stamford Association Little League team had a great season with an overall record of thirteen wins, five losses and three ties. They hard fought and battled every game, but saved their best for last, battling back from an 8-2 deficit to tie Springdale Pizza, in their last at bat. Although they lost in extra innings, it was a great comeback and a shocking, but enjoyable moment for the coaches, players and parents.
Coaches: Dan DiBenedetto, Chris Berlingo and Scott LeibowitzPlayers (not in order) – Ryan, Derek, Adam, Ben, Jayden, Dylan, Tyler, Felix, Logan, Antonio, Lorenzo and Jackson
FRONT COVER PHOTO: MEG TOCANTINS
he last several months have seen fewer major issues presented to City Land
Use Boards. There was no activity at the proposed Mayapple Center for the Arts
this year. As you may recall, this was a particularly vexing problem last year.
The NSA and the North Stamford Residential Preservation Association worked
together to support an amendment to the zoning regulations that restricts the
establishment of the proposed entity in a residential zone. The immediate
neighbors and the NSA board continues to monitor the property.
Issues concerning the above-ground septic system at the Lake Windermere
site are being addressed. The city is aggressively pursuing fees owed by the
development. The owners have now been able to form a residents’ association
since the requisite number of properties have been sold. Under state law, the
developer maintains control until that threshold has been reached.
The large wood pile on upper Long Ridge Road continues to exist.
As you may recall, the NSA supported the actions of the Stamford zoning
enforcement officer when he moved to close down the business. We testified
on his behalf before the Zoning Board of Appeals. The owner of the property
has filed suit against Stamford and is permitted to continue storing and
processing wood until the case has run its course in Superior Court.
We continue to press the city to address a number of blighted properties
in North Stamford. You may report these and similar issues by phone to Citizen’s
Services 2o3.977.4141 or via the city’s website at www.stamfordct.gov
We look forward to seeing you at our annual meeting in November.
Paid members will receive their invitations shortly. Please remember to RSVP.
Tom Lombardo, President of NSA
Message from the President
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n 1913, Dr. Francis A. Bartlett, a well-known dendrologist and founder of the F.A.Bartlett Tree Expert Company, acquired 3o acres of North Stamford woodlands for his residence, training school, and research laboratory. Over the years, he assembled a large number of woody plant specimens from all over the world. By 1965, Mr. Bartlett’s research laboratory had moved to North Carolina and his Stamford home, which then covered 64 acres, was purchased by the State of Connecticut. The property was designated the Connecticut State Arboretum. Acquisition of the land, and its subsequent development, was spearheaded by a group of local community volunteers. That group formed the nucleus of what is now the Bartlett Arboretum Association. In 2oo2, title to the land, along with an additional 27 acres of adjacent city property, was transferred by the City of Stamford to the Bartlett Arboretum Association, which is responsible for managing the property. Last year, two more acres were donated to the Arboretum, making a total of 93 acres of irreplaceable preserved space that showcases the best of what Connecticut’s native landscape has to offer. This includes award‐winning Champion trees, charming gardens, wildflower meadows, red maple wetlands and boardwalks, woodland walking trails, varied wildlife, and native habitats.
StamfordArboretumWill Grow On Youby S. Jane von Trapp
Continued on page 4PHOTOGRAPHY: EDWARD V
At our Silver Educational Center, we teach botany and ecology to all of Stamford’s second graders as part of their curriculum, as well as to many private school groups. We have vacation camps and summer camp programs for children. We welcome corporate outings and team-building days. There are meditation classes, Yoga in the Garden, concerts, and a gallery filled with Art at the Bart. We bring our botany program to various community organizations, such as the Boys’ & Girls’ Club and Inspirica. You can obtain your Master Gardener Certification or Arborist License here. If you have time to volunteer, we have many opportunities available. You can learn about the
Bartlett’s remarkable history with our team of archivists. You can help with reception and answering questions, emails, and phone calls. We have volunteers who work in our greenhouse and themed gardens. We welcome new faces and hope you will consider helping us move our mission forward. We’re saving a seat in the garden for you! We are located at 151 Brookdale Road. For more information, please contact Peggy Devlin at [email protected] or me, CEO S. Jane von Trapp, at jvontrapp@ bartlettarboretum.org or 2o3.883.4o52.
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By Steve Cole
A nyone driving past the former landfill at Scofieldtown and Rockrimmon Roads cannot miss the complete leveling of the old facilities and impres-sive piles of rocks and soil. After a decade of testing, planning, and discussion, the City of Stamford, in cooperation with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, is looking to complete the Scofield Yard & Park Landfill Capping Project. Environmental remediation of the site is expected to be completed in Spring, 2o16, although the completion date for recreation facilities is undetermined. The project made substantial progress this year, with demolition of old facilities and major grading of existing landfill material. Drainage to capture and redirect rainwater has been installed underground. Next steps include the placement of a geofabric and membrane cap on existing soil, along with topsoil, seeding, and landscaping on top. These steps are expected to cut off any rainfall from reaching any remaining existing landfill material on the site. The current contracts will produce a surface that is sloped toward Rockrimmon Road and elevated above Scofieldtown Road. About half of the area will be fenced and used by the Department of Public Works for a salt storage barn and a leaf storage/transfer area. Space for a recycle center will be available, but whether or not it will be built has not been decided. The remaining area will be seeded and planted with shrubs and low-growing trees.
Scofield Capping Project Progresses
The only recreational facility in the first phase will be a walking path along the park perimeter. Locations for other facilities, such as a parking lot, tennis courts, and playground, have been identified but are as yet unbudgeted. According to construction manager Jeffrey Brown, the project experienced a tough Winter because the site was frozen and covered with snow most days. Productivity suffered. Still, site boulders were gathered for use as landscaping features, as well as on-site processing/crushing/screening to make drainage pipe bedding stone. Soil and materials were delivered and stockpiled. Over the Summer, on-site boulder, stone, and clean demo debris stock piles were run through the processing/crushing/screening equipment and separated into piles along Rockrimmon Road. The 48-inch diameter water diversion pipeline that runs parallel to Scofieldtown Road has been installed and the landscape is being terraced. Excavation and pile driving for the new salt barn has commenced. “Our Consultant, as well as the Stamford engineering bureau, have staff on site all the time to witness the work,” says Brown. “A few abandoned drums have been found, but none contained any hazardous materials.”
Stamford Arboretum Will Grow On You
Continued from page 3 PHOTOGRAPHY: EDWARD V
T he North Stamford Association kicked off the summer by hosting our “Home & Family Safety Forum” at the Harry Bennett branch of the Ferguson Library. Five life and safety leaders from the City of Stamford addressed a full house of North Stamford Association members eager to hear tips on keeping their families and properties safe. Stamford Police Sgt. Peter Dispana addressed a wide range of topics including what makes homes attractive to burglars and how to deal with noisy neighbors and barking dogs. Long Ridge Fire Company Chief Stu Teitelbaum spoke about home fire prevention and fielded questions on gas fuel systems, leaf burning regulations, and the proper care and use of wood burning stoves. Keeping in the spirit of the Summer, Department of Parks & Recreation Aquatics Director Dione Clinkenbeard provided advice for parents on pool safety and offered a tutorial on how the quality of the pool water is monitored. With well water
quality on the minds of North Stamford residents, Stamford Director of Laboratories Jim Federici updated attendees on the well water testing program, the results of recent tests, and how often test results are misinter-preted by those receiving results. Stamford Emergency Medical Services Capt. Malcolm Dean discussed the need for all residents with elderly household occupants to obtain a resident information chart from EMS. Placed on the refrigerator of their homes, this chart records critical life safety information for residents who may not be able to speak at the time of an emergency. The ninety minute forum concluded with a question and answer session. The North Stamford Association’s ongoing series of forums is an excellent opportunity for NSA members to connect with representatives of various city agencies, elected officials, and those representing the arts and education. Watch for announcements for our next forum, where folks running in November to be on the Board of Education will speak and take questions.
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T hree conclusions can now be drawn from Stamford’s well water testing program: There appear to be no major systemic problems with the North Stamford water supply, the problems that do occur at individual homes can be easily remedied, and homeowners who use well water need to get their wells tested. Four years ago, the Connecticut Department of Public Health organized a Stamford Community Advisory Panel. The CAP included active participation from the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the Stamford Health Department, as well as concerned individuals from Stamford (which included members of the North Stamford Association board of directors). Over 7oo water samples have been tested by the Stamford Health Department Laboratory, and perhaps another 100 have been analyzed elsewhere and reported to the laboratory. All of the testing results are reported at www.stamfordct.gov/well-water-testing. There is no discernable pattern to the results, except for the previously identified Very Merrie Road cluster. About five percent of the samples showed pesticide concentrations above the Connecticut Acceptable Levels,
NSA HoldsHome and FamilySafety ForumBy Doug York
12 percent indicated uranium concentrations above the EPA Maximum Concentration Level, and only one well exceeded the EPA’s acceptable level for arsenic. The last result is much better than arsenic levels found in Westport and Weston. For those well owners with results above acceptable levels, action must be taken. While none of the wells have been found to be acutely toxic, long-term exposure to unacceptable levels should be avoided. One treatment option is an affordable activated carbon filter. The cost of providing Aquarion utility water to an individual site or to all of North Stamford would be very high and would not benefit the majority of well users. Stamford has authorized the continuation of the well test program at $15o for new tests and $1oo for retests. New wells will be required to have more extensive testing. But all Stamford well owners need to have their water tested. When most of our wells were dug upwards of fifty years ago, chemical tests were unavailable to detect chemicals at levels now known to be hazardous. The cost of well testing at the Stamford-subsidized rate of $15o is a bargain and the only prudent thing to do.
Stamford Wells Testing ContinuesBy Steve Cole
By Pam Coleman
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he Stamford Historical Society is excited to announce our new exhibit, “How We Say Goodbye: Funerary and Mortuary Practices in Stamford.” It charts how Stamford treated the dearly departed from the time of the first settlement to the present. The exhibit includes gravestones, mourning dresses, fans, parasols, jewelry made of jet, jewelry using human hair, embalming equipment, and many photos. The first burials in Stamford were likely to have been marked with wooden graveposts or fieldstones, often with nothing carved into them other than perhaps initials or a date. The Society knows of no 17th century gravestones or furniture in existence for Stamford, although we can surmise practices resembled those in other communities of the same time period. The first burial ground was located in the center of town and served to link the community together. Between the first burials and about 1805, the majority of Stamford’s deceased were laid to rest in this cemetery. Then, in 1805, the decision was made by the state to straighten the Post Road. The cemetery was in the path of construction and had to be moved. Those stones surviving from the 18th
century found today in the North Street cemetery were moved from their original resting place. A battle of wills ensued between outraged citizens who felt the deceased should have been left to rest in peace and the road construction crews. While the crews cleared the roadway during the day, groups of citizens arrived at night to block the way with boulders. Eventu-ally, the roadway went through. This explains why so few stones survive in Stamford prior to 1805. Since Darien was part of Stamford until 1820, you can find the earliest 18th century stones erected for citizens of Stamford in situ at the Noroton River Cemetery on the Post Road just over the Darien border and at the Weed Cemetery on the shore of Holly Pond. The bulk of the material of the exhibit dates to the 19th century and especially to the later Victorian era. It was during this time that the cult of death spread across the United States from England. Large amounts of money were devoted to procuring fashionable mourning dresses and gowns with a host of accessories including fans, parasols and jewelry. It had been the practice, even in the Colonial Era, to have locks of hair enclosed in
T lockets or rings to be kept and worn by the living as keepsakes in memory of their deceased kin. Women bore the brunt of the cult of death and many spent from months to years in funeral garb. The colors varied based on how long the women were in mourning, starting with black and graduating to shades of purple, dark blue, and brown. Alongside the clothing, death inspired many decorative arts. In addition to the gravestones themselves, which in colonial times bore winged skulls, hourglasses, and bones, embroidered and watercolor pieces were executed showing the grave and people in mourning. Such patterns could even be found on china tea sets specially created in memory of the deceased. The professionalization of death into a funeral industry began in the Victorian Era with undertaking, monument making, and coffin building arising as careers. At the close of the Victorian Era, a shift occurred in peoples’ attitudes toward how the deceased should be handled. More people opted for a proper funeral in a funeral home, presided over by the funeral director who would coordinate all necessary activity and thus relieve the grieving family. No longer would the body be washed and laid out by
Stamford Historical Society... Is Dying To See You
the family at home. This change may be related to an increase in the use of hospitals – fewer people were dying at home. The practice of embalming also became more common after 1900. This practice started around the time of the Civil War as the families of men killed on the battlefield wished the return of the remains. Embalming was a practice that went beyond the knowledge of the family taking care of the body at home and led to the increasing professionalization of death management. Embalming also lengthened the time between death and burial, enabling far flung families to travel to attend the funerals of their loved ones. The nature of how death is handled has changed greatly from Victorian Times. With the professionalization of the death industry, the intimacy formerly existing between the family and the deceased has decreased. While people do still die at home, they are often quickly removed to the funeral home. The funeral itself continues to have an element of ceremony but with the funeral director and religious official often working in tandem to provide for the needs of the grieving family. While people may wear dark colors to the funeral itself, they are quickly shed as life resumes its normal course. This transformation of the relationship between the living and the dead forms the core of the Society’s exhibit. The Stamford Historical Society is located at 1508 High Ridge Road. For more informa-tion, call us at 203.329.1183 or visit our website at www.stamfordhistory.org. The exhibit is generously sponsored by Bosak Funeral Home.
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By Renée KahnHoyt Barnumometime within the coming year (if all goes well) North Stamford will be the proud home of the oldest house in Stamford, the circa 1699 Hoyt Barnum house. It was originally the home of blacksmith Samuel Hoyt, his two wives (not at the same time) and seven children. The historic structure is being removed from its present site at 713 Bedford Street to make way for the new police headquarters. While preservationists lament losing the building’s historic context on its current rocky knoll a quarter of a mile from the center of town, officials at the Stamford Historical Society, which owns the house, felt that its new location adjacent to its present headquarters in the former Martha Hoyt School on High Ridge Road would allow the society make greater use of the building for teaching purposes. An architectural firm with experience in relocating old houses has been hired. Its team includes a company known for moving stone chimneys intact. The new site of the house, which is the lawn adjacent to the Society’s parking lot, is expected to be graded to approximate the Hoyt Barnum’s current, original context. Given its proximity to the Stamford Museum and Nature Center (and with the Bartlett Arboretum just up the road) the Hoyt Barnum House will sure be a great place to bring the kids. It will be exciting to watch the move take place and see the building reconstructed at its new North Stamford home.
S metime within the coming yeom
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By Sally Sacks
S uburban-reared friends typically sympathize when they learn that I grew up in New York City. “How grim,” they murmur, “all that pavement, no grass, no trees...” Grim? Never! Although I love Stamford, New York in the late thirties and early forties was a glorious place for kids. The sidewalks of West 86th Street were wide and tree-lined, street traffic was light, and the parks were safe. Apartment-dwelling parents never worried about their kids playing in the street, thanks in part to the benevolent doormen of our buildings. Some, of course, were more benevolent than others. Roderick, the tall, Roman-nosed, imposing figure who guarded the entrance to Franklin Towers, was notoriously cross when we bounced balls against his canopy and warned us to play elsewhere. On the other hand, Jimmy, the plump, jolly doorman of our building, made sure that we never ran into the street and cheerfully retrieved our balls when they went astray. Our outdoor activities were numerous and varied. To everything there is a season, although the determinant of the season was never clarified. One day, you would go outside and guess what, it was jump-rope season! This would last for several days or weeks and then, suddenly, all the girls would be playing ball. “A, my name is Alice” and “One, two, three a-lairy.” Did anyone ever
really know what a bumbleairy was? The boys, and a few of us girls, also played a mean game of handball. Then there was potsy. Known in more genteel circles as hopscotch, it required a skate key, which you threw into the designated, chalk-marked squares. We could play potsy only in front of apartment houses where the doormen allowed us to chalk up their sidewalks. Thanks to Jimmy, my house was a popular spot. Marble season was the main event and it lasted the longest. As soon as school let out, crowds of kids arrived from all over the neighborhood carrying cigar boxes filled with marbles. They congregated at the end of our block, near West End Avenue. The players were split into two factors: one group set up marbles, calling out “Five (or six or seven) if you hit it,” or “Hit the purey, keep it.” The second group, of which
New York,It Was A Helluva Town
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I was a member, took aim at the setups. The noise could be deafening, but we got away with it in front of that building because it had no doctors’ offices and no one was home in the ground-floor apartments. Every so often, some kids would try to start marble games farther up the block, outside of my father’s dental office. The next thing they knew, the window curtains would part, and my father’s angry, white-coated figure would appear. Shaking a fist at them, he would order them away. The message was loud and clear. I was a tomboy, and I loved playing marbles, but my mother hated it. When I returned home, victoriously shaking my full cigar box, she bemoaned the leather worn from the tips of my good school shoes after an afternoon of kneeling on the rough pavement. In those days, sneakers were strictly for tennis and not for everyday play.Sometimes we would take a trolley down to the skating rink on 52nd Street and Broadway known as Gay Blades (so politically incorrect today). This was really serious skating. Organ music filled the air, there was no rough-housing, and we girls wore real skating outfits. I thought I would faint with joy when I received mine on my 12th birthday – a silver-buttoned, waist-length jacket of navy blue wool and a short, swirly, matching skirt lined with red taffeta. Oh, the utter beauty, the professionalism, of it, the delicious slither of taffeta against my thighs. What did it matter that my greatest achievement was circling the rink without falling down? I looked the part, and that was what counted.
Riverside Drive was a magical place. When we were little, the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument was a favorite place to play. When we grew older, my best friend, Renee, and I spent afternoons climbing on the rocks farther down on the Drive and improvising complicated games of make-believe involving caves and dungeons. Winter on Riverside Drive was even better. We built elaborate snow forts, in which we stored vast supplies of snowballs with which to attack invaders. We reluctantly trudged home at sunset, our ski pants encrusted with snow, our woolen mittens soggy, and our galoshes flopping. On summer evenings, my parents and I would walk down to the lower Drive and over to the new Yacht Basin. We marveled at the sleek boats and picked out the one we would most like to own. It was quiet and cool and peaceful down there by the water. And safe. Sometime during my college days, the sidewalk on 86th Street was made narrower because of increased traffic. But it didn’t seem to matter as much by then. There didn’t seem to be as many children out on the street any more. I guess they all moved to the suburbs.
nd that was what counted.
Swan SongBy Grace Catalano
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A
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pril 25th dawned bright and clear. It was a perfect day for the North Stamford Association’s “Shred and Recycle Day” at Northeast Elementary School. The event, hosted by the North Stamford Association, provided a convenient venue for members to safely dispose of sensitive papers. The event was free for NSA members and available to others for a small fee. With the Federal tax deadline just behind us, it was a great time to unload unneeded tax and other sensitive documents. While some consumers use personal shred-ding machines, the commercial shredding machine that NSA provided allowed participants to shred much larger volumes of paper. Office supply stores sometimes provide the same service but charge per pound. In addition, office supply stores send documents to an off-site facility for the actual
shredding. At the NSA event, the shredding was done right in front of the attendees. Also on site at the event was a Vietnam Veterans of America (www.vva.org) truck to collect donations of gently used household goods. The VVA, founded in 1978, is dedicated to serving the needs of veterans, their families, and their commu-nities. Part of the funding for this not-for-profit organization comes from the sale of items like the ones donated at our event. Members filled an entire large panel truck with donations of household goods including sports equipment, small pieces of furniture, and usable but no longer needed computer equipment. It was a great day of service for residents of North Stamford and for those who benefit from the programs of the Vietnam Veterans of America. Stay tuned for plans for more exciting events from the North Stamford Association.
NSA Holds Shred and Recycle Day
By Jackie Kaiko
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was pleased and saddened to read in the North Stamford Association’s winter newsletter the article entitled, “Swanee, How We Loved You.” This was the end of the story of a swan we loved and nurtured and here’s the beginning of her story. Once upon a time there appeared in Haviland Brook a beautiful swan gracefully gliding across the water. We called the Stamford Nature Center for information on the care and feeding of a swan. After giving us this information, they asked if they could bring a young swan to us – one who had a tear in her webbed foot and was not being treated right by the other waterbirds. The weather was cold and snowy and the beige swan was delivered wrapped in a blanket. As soon as she was placed on the grass beside the brook, she walked right into the water. We didn’t know if she was male or female, but since it was around Valentine’s Day, we decided to name the already present swan VAL and our new swan TINE ... get it? Val’n Tine. They both got along well, but Val eventually took off and Tine enjoyed the comforts of an only child, being catered to with cracked corn and bread, as well as a basin of water in the cold of winter when the brook was party frozen. She clumsily walked up the hillside to the terrace where she would tap on the sliding doors to get our attention.Tine became comfortable at our home. Even our Great Dane let her be part of the beauty of our outdoors. She could be found in the swimming pool
or sitting on the blue solar cover. When we were sitting in the lounge chairs, she would come out of the water to greet us. If we didn’t see her, we would whistle and she would come quickly down the stream to meet us at the water’s edge. I didn’t know she spent time on Jordan Lane. I was away from home for a two-week period. She apparently found her food at the other end of the brook. When I returned home and whistled for her, she did not appear. Our neighbor was at a tag sale on Jordan Lane and reported the sad news of Tine’s accident. Reading the North Stamford Newsletter explained it all. As I look at the my photos of Tine, I’m reminded of how really lucky we were to have watched this ugly duckling turn into a beautiful swan.
Swan SongBy Grace Catalano
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Member Seeks Greater Say
To the Editor:
I believe the association can be a valuable tool in representing the interests of the residents of North Stamford. However, many times, I have disagreed with the opinions and directives of the association regarding the Board’s direction. I do not recall ever receiving any polling questionnaire about any topics or decisions the Board makes. I know why you do not want sewers in North Stamford but I am sure that my property is not the only property that has a problem. My septic works fine for now but should it ever fail, there is no other location on my property that I can put a entirely new system due to the location of a pond, a rocky hill, my well, etcetera. If there were sewers, my property would be safeguarded. As to businesses growing up here, there are still zoning laws and they can always operate a business with septic anyways. This is not the point of this letter to the editor. It is just one other example of how we are not asked how the association should establish directives and guidelines. The following is the main point of the letter to the editor. Several of my neighbors, as well as myself, use the auto repair services at High Ridge Gulf under the ownership of John Lehaney. He and his wife have run the business for around seven years now and have turned it into a full service, reliable, and depend-able service station for gasoline and automotive repairs.
Last month I asked John if I could park my late father’s car in his lot to try to sell it. John informed me that he was not allowed to do that because he does not have a dealer’s license, the North Stamford associa-tion frowns upon it, and he did not want to make any waves. Were any of the members of NSA ever asked about our opinion? Again, where is the general membership’s input. All John is trying to do is to supplement his income by obtaining a license to sell cars, which in my opinion would help the neighborhood immensely. Never mind myself trying to sell my father’s car, but people are always looking for reliable affordable cars for themselves or their children. I believe that by John obtaining the license it would be an asset to the North Stamford Community and I hope you all would agree if High Ridge Gulf attempted to move forward. Listen to your members and what we want to say. Give us a voice.
Peter Birch
Reply from PresidentTom Lombardo
The North Stamford Associa-tion has polled members on a number of topics over the years. Additionally, any paid member may attend the annual meeting and speak on any subject. But we do not, and cannot poll our members on every matter that arises. It would prevent us from acting effectively and in a timely manner. Our decades’ old opposition to sewers is well known. As long-time Stamfordites will recall, when sewers are installed, intense growth follows despite whatever zoning was in place at the time that the sewers were introduced. This occurred in Springdale, Glenbrook, Belltown, Turn of River, and Newfield. In 2014, twenty-two septic systems city wide failed. Based on over 6,000 non-sewered residences, that is not a terrible percentage. We encourage members to pump out each year. Do not install a
garbage disposal system in your kitchen. Be prudent in the use of certain cleaning solvents and laundry detergents.Six years ago, it was estimated that installing water lines north of the Merritt would cost $400 million. If sewer installations are comparable, that represents a tremendous capital bonding project for sewer lines. The matter concerning the service station, while upsetting to you, is not a difficult question to answer. The present owner purchased the station in 2010. It is a non-conforming use. The NSA has opposed expansion of non-conforming use properties since our inception over fifty years ago. The owner is not permitted to place more than two or three cars for sale on the property. To support a change in his status to sell used cars would be an expansion of a non-conforming use.
Clean Streets
To the Editor:
(The following is a letter addressed to Stamford Director of Operations Ernie Orgera.)
Mr. Orgera, as you observed, the roadway from Scofield Manor to the Smith House is overgrown and in need of severely cutting back. The road has been used in the past by residents and visitors as a pleasant walkway. It is not used so much recently, perhaps because it is so overgrown and not pretty. The roadway extends all the way to the Smith House, so if you have a crew clear it up remind them to go all the way. Also, the great stone barn sitting beside Scofield Manor is a beautiful structure. If it had the overgrowth removed, I am sure that it would be a historic masterpiece. Perhaps a coat of paint, too. Fortunately, the stone does not have to be painted. Thank you for your concern about the maintenance and beauty of Stamford.
Mike Kevil
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Safe Streets
To the Editor:
The narrow streets of North Stamford, especially East Hunting Ridge Road, are experiencing resurgence of unnecessary speeding, especially when joggers, dog walkers, and strollers are using them. Some streets, like the one mentioned, have blind hill areas which are dangerous at normal speeds as well. Notice to area residents: When you see a dog walker, jogger, stroller and the like, slow down to 10 miles per hour and give them a wide berth so as not to scare the pet or person. Giving a wide swing and speeding is dangerous and will cause an accident. When another vehicle is oncoming, slow your car, stop, and wait for the pedestrian and other vehicle to pass. Courtesy and safety would be appreciated.
Anthony La Mura
New 233 Year Old Church
To the Editor:
The North Stamford Community Church at 31 Cascade Road was founded in 1782. We have served the area for over 233 years. We recently voted to change our name from “Congregational” to “Community” Church to take the mystery out of what Congregational means as we seek to welcome new genera-tions to our worship and activities. The Congregational Church was the government of New England for several centuries. In 1762, the Scofield Town area joined with Woodpecker Ridge to become “North Stamford” in order to stop paying ministerial fees to Old Stamford Town. Green-wich, Bedford, Middlesex (Darien), Canaan, and Stanwich had already separated from the First Society of Old Stamford Town because of difficulties in winter transportation and growth in their own communities. The names of our 22
founding members are well known in Stamford. They include Weed, Scofield, Dean, Hoyt, Sealy, and others. The Davenports and Lockwoods gifted the stone community house to us in 1925. The town gave the one-room school house to us when the Hoyt School was built. It was moved behind the church to facilitate the construction of the stone house and eventually became our office and meeting room. Our church sponsors The Boys Scouts Troop 11 and Cub Scouts. Our community outreach includes financial aid to downtown services and a new serving schedule at the Soup Kitchen on Fairfield Avenue. Our senior pastor, Jacki Gilchrist, a graduate of Yale Divinity School, is a dynamo who has created a schedule of activities. This includes community brunches, Worship on the Lawn, Hug a Truck Day, Saturday Hangouts for Children, book clubs, Chat and Chew Bible Study, Fit Camp, and Turn it Up Sunday Afternoons. If you would like to speak with Rev. Jacki, please call us at 2o3-322-1255 or visit our church website at www.NorthStamford Church.org to find out more about experiencing our diverse community of faith as we connect, serve, and have fun together.
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The purpose of the association is to protect, preserve and enhance the quality of life in North Stamford, identified as all areas north of the Merritt Parkway and within the limits of the City of Stamford. The mission of the Association shall include, but not be limited to:
~ seeking to ensure a fair share of city services commensurate with the taxes paid for North Stamford;
~ protecting the integrity and seeking to ensure the appropriateness of land use requlations and decisions, including but not limited to, the regulations and decisions of the Planning, Zoning, Zoning Appeals, and Environmental Protection Boards of the City of Stamford;
~ encouraging the enhancement of the quality and availability of educational opportunities in North Stamford;
~ promoting communication among the residents of North Stamford;
~ maintaining the natural beauty of North Stamford, and:
~ advocating the need to preserve, protect and defend the natural resources and environment within North Stamford and its surrounding communities.
MISSION STATEMENT
NSA Membership
Join your neighbors to help the
community. Please complete the
membership form and mail it to
us with a check.
If you would like more information,
phone us at
203.329.2498 or email us at
Please send your
Letters to the Editor to:
NSAP.O. Box 16830Stamford, CT 06905or
Mark Diamond at [email protected]
NSA Membership — Year 2015North Stamford Association Membership Dues
Please complete this form and mail it to:
P.O. Box 16830, Stamford, CT 06905
Name
Address
Membership per Household
Gifts $ 25 Sponsor $ 50 Patron $125 Benefactor $125+
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DISCLAIMERAll assertions of fact and opinion that are contained in this publication are made solely by their authors and are not verified or endorsed by the North Stamford Association, its board members, agents, or employees.
NOBLE STOVE PHOTO: MEG TOCANTINS
