NOTE:
the comments below do not represent anyone's opinion other than that of
the author of these pages...
Looking
south from Redding, the Saugatuck Reservoir extends far into Weston
(Joan Lewis photo 2006); Trout Brook Valley (r.) lies in Weston
and Easton. Town Plan.
P o s t
c a r d s f r o m W e
s t o n . . .
a s p e c i a l e s s a y o
n d o w n t o w n h e r e.
NOTE: Photographs of early
in school construction process - unofficial snapshots...
Contents
of this page:
Infrastructure
The Referenda
Life
in Weston
OVERVIEW:
Four Joan Lewis photographs above capture Weston
forever...and remind us of drought; three views north to Redding.
Weston Historical
Society (left) on Weston Road welcomes visitors from Westport to our
town.
Stone walls to historic fences shows the Jarvis Military Academy site
(now
Town offices) leading to the intellectual heart of the town--Weston
Library.
Built in 1963 in the modern style, this facility, used more and more as
the waves of Westonites seek it out, is also in Weston's first historic
district!
Margaret Wirtenberg photographs
(digital ones in most cases, "photos by Al") on the
remainder
of this sub-page.
Should the
scene fourth from the right above (Margaret Wirtenberg photo also) be
part
of a new, "Atlantis" historic district? It is said that the
Village
of Valley Forge lies below the surface of the Saugatuck Reservoir...a
previous
sub-center in old time Weston/Easton! James Lomuscio's book
(cover
at right) "Village of the Dammed"
relates
the 1940 story of the building of the Saugatuck Reservoir, comparing it
to the battle to save Trout Brook Valley some 50 or so years later...
WELCOME TO WESTON...
Here in the 21st
Century Westonites are getting serious about preserving history.
Taking the lead is the Weston Historical Society.
Margaret
Wirtenberg watercolor at right below
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The ABOUT
TOWN collection of snapshots of places and recent events in Weston
follows...beginning with the Juliana Lachat Preserve (which is not in
the
center of Weston--but it is so beautiful, it deserves another
viewing)...click at right above for some of the recent government
actions taken.
Located on
Godfrey Road, the Juliana Lachat Preserve is nextdoor to The
Nature Conservancy;
it is a former farm and was preserved for many years by its owner using
the State of Connecticut's Farm and Forest Classification system to
freeze
taxes.
New in 2011 is an attempt to find source of funds to preserve the
homestead.
Saugatuck Trail (from Samuel Senior
Dam to Redding) marked in State of Connecticut "blue"...and don't
forget the Devil's Den Preserve or the Katherine Ordway Preserve (owned
by The Nature Conservancy). NOTE: the Town of Weston holds the
development
rights for both properties. Aspetuck
Land Trust
properties (great in all seasons) make it a pleasure to live in or just
visit Weston, one of four town that make up the Aspetuck Land Trust
(Westport, Easton and Fairfield the other three) WITH YOUR DOG...link
to hand-drawn maps only of ALT properties in Weston - this week, TROUT BROOK VALLEY!
NECESSARY THINGS:
FORUM photo
INFRASTRUCTURE:
Flooding takes out Cartbridge (l.); next, one
computer
generated view of replacement; Valley Forge Bridge being redone
now (r.)
Final
School Plan
Never finished, Middle School Roof replacement just finished in
2010, it will be the "end game" that determines the ultimate success
of all Referendum projects. Middle School Auditorium set aside
for another day. High School
roof repair and renovation of auditorium approved, transferring
funds from Item#3 of Referendum at Special Town
Meeting March 22, 2007.
UPKEEP OF BUILDINGS AND
FIELDS vital - the Kaestle
Boos report the roadmap for this goal.
![[IMAGE]](hhw997.jpg)
PARKING:
The Weston
High School parking lot (above) may not be sufficient to hold all the
cars
of students, faculty and visitors if projections are correct and
student
driving privileges remain unchanged.
![[IMAGE]](port3.jpg)
TEMPORARY
BUILDINGS AND INFRASTRUCTURE:
- School Road:
For historical reference - these are the first portables (above--next
two pictures). Even
more
delivered. Soon to become, in part, a Town Hall annex for Land
use-related departments, a little village of portables formerly used
for Pre-Kindergarten and
Kindergarten only is cozy next to Administration Building.
- Revson
Field (at right) contains some wetlands...now new septic fields below,
spanking new ball fields above (no picture). And a good thing,
too!
- More work needed
on drainage for primary baseball field at Revson.
CIRCULATION:
New bus company - First Student.
Sidewalks!
Safe Routes to School may be a grant to provide these.
What an original idea! At least that is the way it looks to
"About
Town"--with new road to new 3-4-5 school
handling
two way traffic as far as the new school (enter from westerly
direction)
and then one-way completing loop back to School Road with bus drop-off
for Weston High School/bus traffic (at new gallaria entrance at new
gym)
before intersecting existing School Road. NOTE: the map presented at
Referendum
Nov. 15, 2001 (above) definitely did not include
additional
parcel purchased later.
WESTON MIDDLE
SCHOOL:
THE PLACE WE VOTE!
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Here you have
it...WMS is hemmed in by wetlands (left) or paved area. As
portables
"melt away" road to rear of WMS will be completed, permitting a safer
traffic
path. Some day it may house a lovely auditorium for its
students...new roof.
WESTON HIGH
SCHOOL
THE FINISHED PRODUCT; SEATING CAMPAIGN LEADERS;
ARRANGEMENTSPROGRESS
ALONG THE WAY:
- Trees felled
for additions to WHS...new ones will be planted eventually(and they
were, and replanted, too, in some cases);
- ongoing
construction (administrative wing, gym,
library - left to right, picture 3, 4 and 5) - all over now (2007).
- New two story
science
wing not pictured--located in the back of the school. Construction went
on through winter. Weston High
School doubled in size as a result of this extensive
renovation.
New areas will be air conditioned (we think) but not new gym at Weston
High School (?) and new football field and track!!!
- NEW
ENTRANCE:
Art wing and lots of details left to finish - as well as need for
community to get behind Auditorium
upgrade for Weston High School (not
in Referendum Budget - money voted to transfer funds left in item #3 of
Referendum to a redo for Weston High School auditorium).
- Looking
out the windows of new cafeteria the night of ATBM April 19, 2006 - see
the gorgeous lighting array reflected!
WESTON INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL
PROGRESS:
- Dig for
foundation
of new 3-4-5 school...and up it goes!
- We walked the
school construction
project, including the 3-4-5 on September 1, 2004, and the floor was
in,
walls going up, structure of facility becoming clear--what a great
building!
- Almost makes me
want to go back to third grade. Finishing inside
going great guns!
- Courtyard being
planted as we walked
through it on "About Town" visit!
- And
it opened Fall 2005 on time (far right)!
HURLBUTT
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PARKING LOT LIGHTING UP AND
RUNNING!
Long range
Capital Plan proposed by the Board of Education shows, at this time,
"$1
million" place-holder amount per year for renovations at the Hurlbutt
School
buildings after 2007...more parking and even more parking put in!
New windows make the school look like new (almost)! These new
windows
show the out-of-doors courtyard spaces and trees and make recess look
like
fun!!! Click on picture at right to read about quick program on a
Friday after noon for the 4th grade (WMS heard it right before).
From notes and pictures on the walls of East House, it looks as if the
4th graders are being prepped for the move to the Intermediate School
next
term!
FIELDS
ALL THESE IN USE! Revson Field
still not up to expectations of users.
Morehouse Farm Park (l.) completed successful Women's Slow-Pitch
Softball season in '05; football and track ready for Fall
'05! New and redone tennis courts to be ready (no photo).
Soccer Field in use; Bisceglie Park Little-League Park in
use; not shown: Varsity Baseball at Revson Field.
Lots of things have changes
recently: Town Hall now has an Annex in School Road portables; at
the Center, the Lunch Box is
expanding, a pharmacy is due back as maybe a cleaning drop-off...
THE HEART
OF WESTON IS DOWNTOWN:
SOME OTHER PHOTOGRAPHS OF
CENTRAL WESTON BELOW...
CELL PHONE
SERVICE (SEE BIG CELL TOWER BEHIND THE TREES):
Proposal for
second tower at Transfer Station - OK'd
by Town Meeting Dec. 15, 2005 and ready to roll, we think, in
2006.
Can you see the tower in the photo on the left? This is one view
where you can't! A 195' tall monopole has been erected;
there
is a new building for the mechanical needs of the six companies and the
Town of Weston. The regulatory agency on high voltage
electricity towers is CT
SITING COUNCIL.
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Memorial
Day brings partriotism to Town Hall...
Next is Norfield
Church--which is next to Town Hall across the way, is a residence where
Polly, a beautiful horse, used to live. Polly would hang out at
the
stone wall and welcome people to Town Hall (across the street)...if
Polly
were still alive, she would have the "best view" of the new tower.
The Jarvis
Military Academy,next, is in Weston's first historic district...as is
the
Onion Barn and the law office of long-time former First Selectman at
the
right.
![[IMAGE]](wc.jpg)
WESTON
CENTER is the commercial "downtown" of our town; How things
change! In front of
WESTON VALET (no more), a member of the EMS - Fire Department
illustrates "how
big"
the tower is...PETER'S MARKET (and all the other stores,
too--especially
WESTON PHARMACY [not pictured, because it is no longer there--between
the BANK and the LUNCH BOX] ) and the
LUNCH BOX are here to serve as well...with improvements coming for
later in 2007.
The real
heart of the community, even more in 2011, continues...
THE LUNCH
BOX--home of fine dining and conversation in Weston, Connecticut...and the only restaurant in town.
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