Ansonia planning 3 beautification 'Clean & Green' projects this spring

Colony Pond at Abe Stone Park.

ANSONIA - With spring just around the corner, the timing is ripe to begin planning 2019 Ansonia beautification projects.

Mayor David S. Cassetti’s ongoing “Clean & Green” initiatives for Ansonia continue with the announcement of three beautification efforts he expects will move forward this spring and summer. 

And if all goes as planned, most of the cost will be paid in full or part by business sponsorships and net proceeds from sales to date of Wakelee Ave trolley track collectibles.

“We’re getting positive feedback from businesses in town who have offered sponsor support to pay in full or greatly subsidize three important low cost, high impact projects my administration is targeting for completion this year,” said Cassetti.

VOLUNTEER REQUEST & ANSONIA BEAUTIFICATION FUND

The City will soon announce an Open Request For Resident Volunteers to participate in upcoming plantings around town including the Mayor’s annual Earth Day litter cleanup. 
Also, an Ansonia Beautification Fund will be started that will accept private and business donations in any denomination, and used exclusively for defined beautification projects.

One of the first city resident in-kind donations received was last week by the Eaton Family of Ansonia who donated eight assorted trees for planting at Abe Stone Park.

The 2019 improvements and beautification projects include: 

ARMORY GROUNDS: Phase II Landscaping

A canopy of assorted varieties of wild flower, daffodils, shrubs, and evergreen plantings will be added to the highly visible Armory hillside. 

This follows last year’s extensive Phase I invasive vegetation removal and planting of 15 trees, rose bushes, and wild grass/clovers ground cover on the hill. 

ABE STONE PARK & COLONY POND:

A bevy of improvements is planned for the 25-acre Abe Stone Park and Colony Pond. 
Included will be restoration of the children’s playground, basketball court repair; installation of a volleyball area; adding more than a mile of hiking trails through hillside park woods and around colony pond including installation of nearly 200 feet of boardwalk; adding a pond boat launch to allow kayaks/canoes/row boats; creating a picnic grounds with picnic tables and cooking grills. 
Also opening this spring will be the Colony Snack Shack. Shuttered for more than 50 years, it has been completely refurbished.

FIREHOUSE/FARREL BELL RESTORATION:

Historic bell

Professional restoration of the large historic 1877 firehouse bell formerly located atop Farrel Manufacturing on Main Street. 

When restored, the bell will be moved from storage in Public Works to a new home at Webster Hose Memorial Park on Central Street for public viewing.

Webster Hose
Memorial Park

For more details on each beautification proposal, please visit: www.cityofansonia.com

Business or private donation interest to any of these or future beautification projects should contact Cassetti’s office, 203-736-5900 or gmartin@ansoniact.org.


Photos and press release from the Mayor's Office.

Book club to hold first meeting at Beacon Falls Public Library

BEACON FALLS - Beacon Falls Public Library will host the first meeting of the Non-Fiction Book Club at 6:30 p.m. March 19.

Copies of Stephen Greenblatt's "The Swerve: How the World Became Modern" are available at the Circulation Desk.

The Library is at 10 Maple Ave.

*Shared from the Library's Facebook page.

Troop 11 to collect food donations Saturday at Seymour Stop & Shop

Reminder: TEAM offering free income tax preparation at 3 locations

Nominations sought for Legacy Awards in memory of Ansonia educator

Nick Collicelli

ANSONIA - Family and friends of the late Nick Collicelli are seeking nominations for the third Annual Legacy Fund Dinner May 8. 

Awards will be presented to an individual and/or organization who best exemplifies the ideals that were essential to the life and career of Nick Collicelli - a promotion of unity, tolerance, and diversity to foster lasting change within our communities.  

Candidates from the Valley communities or whose efforts contribute to the Valley, will be chosen in the following categories:

• Educator
• Youth
• Community member
• Community organization

Nominations are due by March 15, 2019. 
To nominate a candidate, send a letter describing the nominee’s accomplishments to Chris Collicelli at collicellilegacy@gmail.com.  

Be sure to include your contact information.

Thank you.


This is a press release from Chris Collicelli.

Recuperation journey: Shell game

This morning I watched as this guy swooped down onto the icy patio, picked up an egg shell that I had tossed outside yesterday, and took it to the side yard for his breakfast.
Hope he enjoyed it!  

Celebration slated at Abundant Life Fellowship Ministries in Ansonia