Quick update on the closely followed renovation and restoration of the famed former Huguette Clark estate on Dan’s Highway: The New Canaan Building Department issued a permit Jan. 12 for a 60-by-22-foot in-ground pool. The estimated $105,000 job will be completed by Signature Pools of Norwalk, according to the permit.
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Connecticut Audubon brought Milton, a 9-year-old barn owl, to the New Canaan Land Trust annual meeting, held Jan. 22 at the Country Club of New Canaan. In the background here is New Canaan’s Jim Fowler, who spoke during the meeting. Credit: Michael Dinan
Two of New Canaan’s most prominent and effective nonprofit organizations—the New Canaan Land Trust (membership info here) and New Canaan Community Foundation (information on giving here)—held their annual meetings Thursday night.
Some 200 supporters attended each event, held at the Country Club of New Canaan and Waveny House, respectively.
The Land Trust’s charismatic president, Chris Schipper, spotlighted 2014 accomplishments for the organization, such as surveying 14 acres, integrating 56 Audubon acres, receiving a 2-acre easement and engaging New Canaan youth.
“If there is one thing that this town should produce, it should produce future environmentalists and naturalists and conservationists,” Schipper said at the 48th annual meeting. “We can produce a lot of lawyers and financiers, but we need people that care for the land—and learning now, when you’re young, is when it starts. All of us in this room experienced nature early in life, and come back to it when we can.”
The Land Trust elected new board members Arthur Berry, Sally Hines, Emily Nissley and Carter Norton. Speakers at the meeting included Tom Nissley, John Engel, Tom Cronin, Jim Fowler and Jim Lentowski.
Leo Karl on Jan. 22 took over as president of the New Canaan Community Foundation Board of Directors. Here he is during the nonprofit organization’s annual meeting, held that night at Waveny House. Credit: Michael Dinan
At the New Canaan Community Foundation meeting, the town’s own Leo Karl said he was humbled to assume a leadership role as president of the organization.
“I believe that this foundation represents the best of New Canaan,” Karl said from in front of the soon-to-be-sparkling fireplace in the Great Hall. “The incredible impact we have, collectively, to make our community stronger, healthier and more vibrant.”
He added that when individuals “join forces for the common good, amazing things can happen.”
“So my challenge is simple: I ask each of you here tonight, to become an active ambassador for New Canaan Community Foundation,” Karl said.
New board members include Kathleen Abbott, Rob Fryer, Kelly Hanratty, John Knight, Kay Linneman, Sheila Pettee and Jay Twombly.
Speakers at the meeting included Rich Townsend, Dave Hunt, Emily Tow Jackson and Cynthia Gorey.
The sustainable house at 482 Trinity Pass Road. Credit: Michael Dinan
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Online real estate database Zillow is spotlighting a New Canaan home—482 Trinity Pass—as its “House of the Week.”
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New Canaan Public Schools is launching its newly updated website Feb. 1, Board of Education member Jennifer Richardson said at Tuesday’s school board meeting. Designed to be “simple,” “concise” and “easily accessible,” the new website is the result of a “huge undertaking,” she said, that included feedback from stakeholders such as students, teachers and parents. It won’t be fully functional right away, and both the new and existing sites will run separately and simultaneously through June.
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New Canaan Police are urging residents who would like to receive Alert Notifications on cellphones, land lines and/or through e-mail to register here.
The Larson family’s restored and rebuilt barn back of their Ponus Ridge home is taking shape—here’s the first “bent” going up Thursday, with the second to follow Friday. Credit: Kristina Larson
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The Larson family of Ponus Ridge on Thursday raised their first “bent” of their barn, in a restoration project that has won wide support and admiration from the community. The family, who live opposite West School, since last summer has been working on rebuilding the barn at the bottom of the hill out back. The ca. 1910 barn began collapse last winter and the Larsons designed a project that’s seen them salvage as much material from the original ca. 1910 structure and, in bolster that by using wood from dead and dying trees on their own property.
Kristina says her three sons (Gus and Will here) are all enjoying the barn restoration project going on at their home, opposite West School. Credit: Michael Dinan
What they can’t use for the barn they’re burning or giving to those who could use it, including a New Canaan High School woodworking teacher. The second “bent”—defined as “a timber framing unit that consists of vertical posts, horizontal beams and often diagonal braces that is erected from a horizontal position to a final vertical resting place”—goes up Friday, Kristina Larson said.
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Ringo, a 1-year-old German shepherd dog, breached his electric fence on Ferris Hill Road on Wednesday, and Animal Control ended up scooping him up before he was hurt roaming around. Credit: Michael Dinan
The handsome German shepherd dog seen in a cage in the back of the Animal Control van Wednesday morning is Ringo, a year-old male who breached his invisible fence on Ferris Hill Road, was picked up and returned to his owners.
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New Canaan’s Peter Bush was on hand for the jamming session at Chef Luis Thursday night with Bakithi Kumalo, bassist for Paul Simon.
Minutes before a jamming session at a jam-packed Chef Luis on Thursday night. L-R: Peter “The Bushman” Bush of FOX 95.9 FM, Paul Simon bassist Bakithi Kumalo, New Canaan Music owner Phil Williams and his son, Bailey. Credit: Michael Dinan
A band that included New Canaan Music owner Phil Williams played with Kumalo before a packed bar and restaurant, with all tables in the dining area reserved in advance.
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The New Canaan Police Commission on Wednesday took Officer Tom Callinan off of probationary status, making him a fully fledged NCPD cop. Callinan is a Bronx native who left a career in finance to pursue police work and is the nephew of a NYPD cop. He’s doing a “great job,” Chief Leon Krolikowski said of Callinan at the commission’s meeting, held in the Training Room at department headquarters, while Capt. Vincent DeMaio called the newest member of New Canaan’s finest “awesome.”
New Canaan Police Officer Tom Callinan looks for violations during traffic enforcement off of Farm Road opposite NCHS on a weekday morning in October 2014. Credit: Michael Dinan
Callinan was kind enough grant NewCanaanite.com a ride-a-long in October to give a cop’s view of distracted driving violations on our roads. Congratulations to Tom.
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The Board of Selectmen on Wednesday voted in favor of increasing fees by $5 at the Transfer Station. Private trash haulers now will pay $85 (up from $80) per ton, and resident’s annual household stickers are up from $40 to $45.
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The Police Commission on Wednesday voted in favor of converting the loading zone on Grove Street out in front of Pet Pantry into three or four parking spaces.
Nearwater Pilates at Halo Studios. Contributed
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Nearwater Pilates at Halo Studios is offering free group exercise classes during the week of Feb. 2:
- Feb. 2, 10 a.m. Group Mat Pilates (all levels)
- Feb. 4, 10 a.m. Barres and Belles (all levels)
- Feb. 6, 8 a.m. Barres and Belles (all levels)