OLD LYME — On Friday, Oct. 8, at 9 a.m., the Old Lyme Open Space Commission will offer the public an opportunity during their in-person meeting at Old Lyme Town Hall to call with questions or comments about the Town’s proposed acquisition of 41-1 and 41-4 Whippoorwill Road.
This purchase will add 35 acres to the existing Ames Open Space, with improved access to its trail system.
While the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Finance have approved this transaction, it still needs to go before the Planning Commission and a Town Meeting before the sale can take place.
It should be noted that the land being purchased and the roadway leading to it are still private property and not open to the public.
Readers can call into the Open Space Commission’s meeting by dialing 1-605-472-5727 and entering access code 3819718.
The full agenda for the meeting is as follows:
Hybrid Meeting, Open to the Public
- Call to Order
- Approval of Minutes from September 10, 2021
- Welcome to the Public: Open Discussion on the proposed acquisition of the Ames Open Space 35 acres
- Land Steward Report: Peter Norris
- Existing Business
- Open Space Property Updates
- Ames Open Space: Amanda Blair
- Bartholomew Open Space: Amanda Blair
- Champlain North: Steven Calcagni
- McCulloch Family Open Space: Amanda Blair
- Eklund Pond Open Space: Anne Welles
- Grant Activity
- Rockfall Foundation & Hartford Audubon Society Grants: Andrea Fenton
- Future Applications
- Community Outreach
Hikers Happy Hour - Inland Wetlands Commission Report: Evan Griswold
- Conservation Commission Report: Gary Gregory
- New Business
- 2022 Schedule of Commission Meetings
- Additional New Business?
- Public Comment
- Executive Session – As Necessary
- Adjourn
Editor’s Note: For more on this story, visit this link.
Hikers should wear comfortable walking shoes and bring insect repellent.
In the event of rain, meet at the Old Lyme Inn for Happy Hour instead of the trailhead.
OLD LYME — Learn to row Irish … remember, you don’t need to be Irish to row Irish!
Readers are invited to try out the ancient art of Irish Currach Rowing, Saturday, Oct. 16, at Hain’s Park, Rte. 1/Boston Post Rd. in Old Lyme from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
An Irish currach is a traditional vessel made of wood lathe and covered in canvas. Currachs date back several thousand years. They were used for trade among islands, between islands and mainland and along coastal mainland villages. The relatively light (for their size) fishing/trade boats, which could withstand high swells, have been streamlined in design for rowing competitions.
Veteran and newcomer rowers are all welcome. Pre-register before Oct. 15, and sign the waiver. Request the forms from [email protected]. Pre-register and also take an introductory lesson to receive a free team t-shirt.
The organizers suggest that attendees should bring gloves.
There is no obligation to join the group — simply come and try out currach rowing. Free coffee will be available to rowers and newcomers.
For more information, contact [email protected]
This event is sponsored by New London Currach Rowers with support from the Ancient Order of Hibernians of New London County and the Irish Coastal Club.
OLD LYME — After the Lyme-Old Lyme Chamber of Commerce’s efforts to organize an in-person debate between the candidates for the Old Lyme Board of Selectmen fell through, the Old Lyme Republican and Democratic Town Committees joined by Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau are now working together to try and make it happen.
The tentative date and time for the debate are currently Monday, Nov. 1, at 5 or 5:30 p.m. The location is yet to be confirmed but is likely to be either Old Lyme Town Hall or Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School.
Both LymeLine.com and the CT Examiner have been asked to solicit questions from their readers for possible inclusion in the debate. We therefore invite readers to send us their questions as soon as possible. Please send them via email to [email protected] with the subject line “Questions for BOS Debate.” Feel free to submit multiple questions if you wish.
We will update details of the debate as they are finalized, but in the meantime, send us your questions!
Survey Results Will be Used to Help Determine Allocation of $2.162M in Federal Funds by the Town
OLD LYME — Old Lyme residents, business owners, and organization leaders are encouraged to take the Old Lyme Pandemic Recovery Survey to share how the COVID-19 pandemic affected their family or organization. The survey closes Jan. 7, 2022.
The survey is not an application for funds, but rather data gathering on the pandemic’s effects on Old Lyme. Town projects or programs will be determined after the survey, and applications for assistance will be sought following the set guidelines.
The survey can be found at OldLymeSurvey.com and print copies will be available at the Town Hall reception desk beginning Tuesday, Dec. 14. The committee asks that one survey is filled out per household or organization. Responses are anonymous unless the survey taker chooses to share their contact information at the end.
The Federal guidelines relating to how Old Lyme and other municipalities may use the Federal funds are as follows:
- Support public health expenditures, e.g., funding COVID-19 mitigation efforts, medical expenses, behavioral healthcare, and certain public health and safety staff
- Address negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency, including economic harms to workers, households, small businesses, impacted industries, and the public sector
- Replace lost public sector revenue, using this funding to provide government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue experienced due to the pandemic
- Provide premium pay for essential workers, offering additional support to those who have and will bear the greatest health risks because of their service in critical infrastructure sectors
- Invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure, making necessary investments to improve access to clean drinking water, support vital wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and to expand access to broadband internet.
To learn more about the ARPA Committee, visit https://www.oldlyme-ct.gov/
OLD LYME — On Thursday, Jan. 6, the Town of Old Lyme received an additional, but limited, quantity of COVID-19 test kits and N95 masks from the state.
Four hundred (400) test kits and N95 masks are available to distribute, and these test kits are again being prioritized for residents, “who currently need to make wise decisions about quarantining or isolating because they have COVID-19 symptoms or have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19.”
A ‘Drive-Thru Pickup’ is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 8, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. or until supplies are exhausted on the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School driveway behind Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau for Old Lyme residents, who meet the criteria stated above.
Enter from the Center School driveway entrance. Residents will need to show ID.
The quantity of test kits and masks being distributed will be one test kit containing two tests and four N95 masks per household.
At this time, the state is expected to receive additional shipments. When the Town of Old Lyme receives additional deliveries, future drive-thru events will be scheduled and then announced.
To stay in touch regarding when additional test-kits and masks become available for distribution, simply text OLCOVID19 to 888777 on your phone. The most recent information about COVID-19 test kit and mask distribution events will be shared there as well as on the Town of Old Lyme website, the Town’s social media platforms and with the Town’s media partners, which include LymeLine.com.
Editor’s Note: This article is based on a press release issued Jan. 6 by Old Lyme Emergency Services Director David Roberge.
OLD LYME — Did you know Connecticut has a ‘Buried River’? It is the Hog River, which was buried under the City of Hartford in the 1940’s.
On Wednesday, Jan. 26, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., enjoy a conversation with Dick Shriver, publisher of the local Estuary magazine, and Elizabeth Normen, publisher of Connecticut Explored, and also the author of “My Ride Down the Hog River,” which is published in Estuary’s winter issue.
They will discuss stories about the environmental history of the state’s iconic “Great River,” and, in contrast, the little, buried Hog River.
Register here for a link to this virtual program. All are welcome and the program is free.
Stop by the library and pick-up free, complimentary winter issues of Connecticut Explored and/or Estuary magazine.
OLD LYME — On Tuesday, Feb. 15, at 7 p.m., the Old Lyme Affordable Housing Commission (OL AHC) and the Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments (RiverCOG) will host an on-line community workshop to discuss the work in progress toward preparing a state-mandated Affordable Housing Plan for Old Lyme.
All Old Lyme residents are encouraged to attend.
The state of housing in Old Lyme and the most recent thinking on a housing strategy to meet current and future needs will be presented.
The OL AHC urges all residents to join, and add their voices to the discussion. Pre-registration is not required.
The connection information for this virtual meeting has been updated as follows:
To join the meeting from your computer, visit: https://oldlymect.webex.com/oldlymect/j.php?MTID=m829e255197f825a697f4a1404be6b776
To join the meeting by telephone: dial 408-418-9388 and enter access code 2349 906 5054
If you had already registered for the previously posted Zoom meeting, you are requested to ignore those instructions and use the Webex connection information above instead.