Hartford Yard Goats owner Josh Solomon promised he won’t watch his team play at their temporary home at Norwich’s Dodd Stadium.
“The first time I watch the Yard Goats will be in Dunkin’ Donuts Park,” Solomon said, referring to the still-under-construction capital city stadium mired in delays and controversy.
The events of this week now make it more likely Solomon, if he keeps his word, won’t be watching his team at all in 2016. City officials ordered developers off the site of the unfinished $63 million minor league baseball stadium Tuesday, just a day after announcing they intended to terminate the developer’s contract.
Just as Alice declared about her hallucinogenic adventures in Wonderland, the tale of the Yard Goats keeps getting “curiouser and curiouser.” It might even be labeled laughable if there wasn’t so much at stake. At least Mayor Luke Bronin, who inherited the stadium mess, deserves some credit for moving decisively to put the stadium project back on the right track.
The latest developments in the capital city fiasco come after a long string of broken promises, cost overruns and public finger-pointing. The Yard Goats were supposed to have the team’s home opener in Hartford April 7, until construction delays pushed that target off until May 31. After that deadline passed, the opening date was delayed indefinitely.
The Yard Goats continue playing home games on a borrowed diamond in Norwich as Hartford residents stand helplessly caught in a fray that in recent weeks included a war of words between the team’s owner and stadium developer. In seeming disregard for the facts, DoNo Hartford LLC, the master developer, and Centerplan Construction Co., the general contractor, continue to contend the park is nearly complete. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Canton Receives Grant For Streetscape Work In Collinsville
CANTON — The town has received nearly $1.3 million from the state to continue a series of streetscape improvements in Collinsville that started last year.
That grant was announced Wednesday by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's office and is one of 20 projects totaling $11 million that the state is funding around Connecticut. Canton's grant is the third largest of the projects, which, according to the governor's office, support transit-oriented development.
The work done last year was on Main Street, from where it meets Front Street to the intersection of Bridge Street, and cost about $500,000, most of which came from another state grant. Improvements included new sidewalks, street lighting and a small stage near the parking lot for town hall.
"This a great opportunity," Chief Administrative Officer Robert Skinner said. "Phase One of the streetscape improvements was very successful and this lets us move those successes further through Collinsville."Town Planner Neil Pade said there have been demands from property and business owners on the upper end of Main Street and River Street for the streetscape project to include them as well. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Torrington, Winsted to receive $1.8 million in state funds for Sue Grossman Greenway
TORRINGTON >> The state is set to award more than $1.8 million to Torrington and Winchester for construction and further planning of the Sue Grossman Still River Greenway, as announced Wednesday by the office of Governor Dannel P. Malloy in a release.
The funding will allow the greenway to be extended two miles into downtown Winsted and provide for the development of plans to extend the trail by five miles into downtown TorringtonThe two municipalities collaborated on a joint application for a “responsible growth and transit-oriented development” grant from the state Office of Policy and Management this past winter.The Sue Grossman greenway begins at Lanson Drive and Winsted Road in Winsted, crosses the town line into Torrington, parallel to Route 8, and ends at Harris Drive. It was dedicated by city officials in 2009. Residents use it daily as a walking and bike trail. Both Torrington Mayor Elinor Carbone and Winchester Mayor Althea Candy Perez shared their pleasure at the state’s decision Wednesday, with Perez calling it “great news for Winsted” in an email “We think this is a phenomenal opportunity for anybody who has been out there using the Susan Grossman greenway, or anybody who’s used any of the bike paths elsewhere in the state of Connecticut,” said Carbone. This money was allocated as part of a larger series of awards distributed by the state government Wednesday for transportation-related growth and development.
“Investing in transportation is critical. Transportation and the future of our economy are fundamentally linked. Our focus is on not only improving overall quality of life for residents in these areas, but also encouraging economic development by making our towns and cities more accessible,” said Gov. Malloy in the release. “These grants will help us take another step towards making our state more competitive.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE