Community

‘The Cartells’ Play in ‘Summer Sounds’ Concert Tonight at Senior Center

July 18, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

‘The Cartells’ will play at Lymes’ Senior Center, Thursday, July 19.

The Cartells will be performing at the Lymes’ Senior Center, Thursday, July 18, in the second free concert of the Summer Sounds series, starting at 7 p.m., which will be held rain or shine. All are welcome. Bring your chairs, blankets, dinner, etc. — the performances will be held out on the lawn (weather permitting) or inside if the weather is inclement.

The Lyme-Old Lyme Lions Club will be selling hotdogs, hamburgers and drinks before the concert starting at 5:30 p.m. with proceeds benefitting their scholarship fund.

A free ice cream social will follow all concerts.

The remaining concerts in the Summer Sounds series are:
July 25 at 7 p.m.- Rock Solid Alibi (50’s, 60’s, & 70’s)
Aug. 1 at 7 p.m.- Ticket to Ride (Beatles Tribute Band)

The concert series is sponsored by the following companies and organizations:

Signature Sponsors
Essex Printing (Centerbrook CT.)
Homecare Services of CT. (Niantic CT)
LymeLine.com

Gold Sponsors
All Pro Automotive (Old Lyme CT)
Audiology Concierge (Old Saybrook CT)
VNA of Southeastern CT (Waterford CT)
Reynolds Subaru and Reynolds Boats (Lyme CT)
Old Lyme Visiting Nurses Association, INC (Old Lyme CT)
Senior Health Insurance (Clinton CT)
Stone Ridge Active Retirement Living (Mystic CT)
Friends of the Lymes’ Senior Center (Old Lyme CT)

Silver Sponsors
Care Partners of CT (Wethersfield CT)

The Ice Cream Social Sponsors are:
Old Lyme Republican Town Committee (two Concerts)
Old Lyme Democratic Town Committee
Friends of the Lymes’ Senior Center

Filed Under: Community, Lyme, Old Lyme

$5K Reward Offered for Finding Lost Dog From Lyme, Possibly Spotted Recently Outside Coffee’s

July 16, 2019 by Admin 4 Comments

This beautiful dog, Dexter, is still missing.

Dexter, a 10-year-old dark brown (with white spots) German Shorthaired Pointer mix, has been missing for several weeks now. Dexter is generally friendly, but he may be frightened and disoriented at this point.

A possible sighting of Dexter in a blue SUV was made at Coffee’s Country Market on Boston Post Rd. on Friday, July 5. It could have been a different dog, but the woman who reported it said it looked very much like Dexter.

Another photo of Dexter, who is missing.

The last definite sighting of Dexter was near Hamburg Cove on May 22, when he was wearing a collar with nametags and rabies vaccination tag. He also has a microchip.

Please share this and if you have any information on Dexter’s whereabouts, call Richard Gordon at 617-549-2776 or Andrew Barker at 617-669-7195. A $5,000 reward is being offered for his safe return.

Filed Under: Community, Lyme

Play Beach Blanket Bingo at White Sand Beach, Aug. 7

July 16, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

Play Beach Blanket Bingo Wednesday evening, Aug. 7, from 6 to 8 p.m. at White Sand Beach.

Hosted by Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau (LYSB), the price for this fun, family evening is $5 per person or $20 per family. All are welcome.

A pizza dinner is included and prizes will be awarded to Bingo! winners.

Bring your beach blanket, bug spray … and your appetite!

This event is open to all Lyme and Old Lyme families.

Check the LYSB website or Facebook page after 5 p.m. for possible weather postponements.

Filed Under: Community, Old Lyme

Sound View Celebrates the Fourth With a Grand Parade

July 7, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Sound View held its 26th annual Independence Day parade yesterday and yet again, the sun shone brightly for the occasion.

Joann Lishing led the parade proudly holding the Stars and Stripes and — as always — beaming broadly. She was followed by the Silver Coronet Band and then local members of the VFW.

State Representative Devin Carney (R-23rd), pictured in the red shirt above, participated in the event as did Old Lyme Selectwoman Mary Jo Nosal (also wearing red and walking behind State Rep. Carney in the photo above.)

The remaining participants in the huge parade were the myriad of appropriately decorated bicycles and their riders, golf carts bedecked in red, white and blue and their passengers, a girl on stilts, emergency vehicles and their personnel, and anyone else who wanted to join the parade!

Participants gathered at the north end of Hartford Ave. and then marched south towards Long Island Sound, back up Portland Ave. and across to Swan Ave. The final segment of the parade was the return trip up Hartford Ave. to the Shoreline Community Center.

Visit this link to view a video taken by Carol Mirakian of the parade.

Visit this link to view a gallery of photos of the parade taken by Dana Jensen and published on TheDay.com.

Filed Under: Community, Top Story

Beach Donuts on Sale Weekends in Sound View, Proceeds Benefit Shoreline Community Center

July 6, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Photo by Leon Ephraïm on Unsplash.

OLD LYME — The original, freshly made, “Beach Donuts” will be on sale Saturdays, Sundays, and Labor Day through Sept. 2, at the Shoreline Community Center on Hartford Ave., in Sound View from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.or until sold out.

All sale profits go to support the Shoreline Community Center and the staff are all volunteers.

For more information, call Shirley at 860-434-2871.

Filed Under: Community, Old Lyme

Exhibition of Artwork by Christian Brechneff on View at Cooley Gallery

July 6, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

This “Bat Flower” is one of the paintings by Christian Peltenburg-Breshneff, which will be on display at The Cooley Gallery in Old Lyme.

Over the past three decades, Christian Peltenburg-Brechneff of Lyme has traveled the world to visit some of the most glorious private gardens to paint en plein air.

He has created a luscious visual record of 28 of them in a charming, gift-sized book of watercolors and gouaches. Into the Garden chronicles this long-term pilgrimage of a visionary painter, opening these exquisite private gardens to the public for the very first time.

The Cooley Gallery at 25 Lyme Street is hosting an exhibition of paintings from the book and additional works. An Opening Reception for the exhibition will be held Saturday, July 6, from 4 to 7 p.m. and Brechneff will be on hand to sign copies of Into the Garden.

All are welcome.

Filed Under: Arts, Community, Old Lyme

A Perfect Day for a Parade! Lyme’s Fourth of July Celebration Continues a Long Tradition

July 5, 2019 by Michele Dickey Leave a Comment

Looking across Hamburg Cove in Lyme, the Esther and William Irving Bridge.stands serene. All photos by Michele and Mike Dickey.

Lyme was blessed yet again with perfect weather this Fourth of July and, although the traditional Independence Day parade has been held for more than 60 years, there was still a sense of eager anticipation as people gathered near the bridge on Cove Rd. for this beloved annual event founded by the late Dr. William Irving and his wife, Esther, and now commemorated with the plaque on the bridge, pictured below.

Back to the parade, and even the dogs seem eager to get started …

At 10 a.m., the firing of a single musket echoed through the cove …

… and the parade kicked off led by this valiant flag-bearer on foot …

Following immediately behind the flag-bearer was Grand Marshal Don Gerber riding in a 1948 Ford Deluxe convertible owned by Manon Zumbaum. Gerber is a local resident since childhood, who was selected for the honorary position in recognition of his long history of volunteer service to the Town.

Gerber served the Lyme Volunteer Fire Company as a member, engineer or assistant chief during the late 1970s and 1980s.. He has served as chairman of the Planning & Zoning Commission for nearly 10 years; as chairman of the Conservation Commission (acting as the Inland Wetland and Watercourse Agency) for 10 years; and as chairman of the Building Committee for the Lyme Public Safety Complex.

He was a member of the Camp Claire Board of Directors for nearly 10 years and has been a member of the Lyme Republican Town Committee for 35 years. He also played an important role in the Town’s recent acquisition of the Johnston Property.

Camp Claire was well represented not only with campers …

… but also by a float of the “Camp Claire Voyager.”

It was indeed a new day for this parade, for there was nary a bike nor trike in sight — young participants eschewed them for scooters …

… and even two hover boards joined the merry throng!

The Lyme Garden Club strutted their stuff …

… as did the Cub Scouts of Lyme Pack 32 and also ambulance and emergency service personnel ..,

… along with Bruce and Tammy Noyes on their World War II Army vehicle.

A cavalcade of old cars brought up the rear, and then the parade was over … all in less than 15 minutes!

Editor’s Note: This article has been corrected to reflect the correct dates of Don Gerber’s service in the Lyme Fire Department. Out apology for the error.

Filed Under: Community, Lyme, Top Story

Don’t Miss the Best 10-Minute Parade in America … or at Least Connecticut! Happening in Lyme Today

July 4, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

The Grand Marshal rode in this grand automobile one year — tomorrow it will be a different vehicle! (File photo.)

Editor’s Note: (i) We are delighted to publish this article which we received from Lyme Selectman John Kiker. The author, Sadie Frankel, serves as an unofficial student reporter for the Town of Lyme.
(ii) Visit this link to read our related story titled, Town of Lyme Hosts Annual July 4 Parade, Don Gerber to Serve as Grand Marshal.

LYME — July 4th is a day of festivities all around the country and there is no exception in the small town of Lyme, Conn. These celebrations include barbeques, people of all ages sporting red, white, and blue, and the well-known 4th of July parade on Cove Road.

The parade was originally established by the late pediatrician, Dr. William Irving, a resident of Cove Road, who began the parade in 1958 as a way to demonstrate patriotism and celebrate America on the birthdate of our country. It is said that it was his son who sparked the idea, bored and wondering why Lyme didn’t already have a parade.

No one quite knows quite when this parade will kick off each year as it is not a town-sponsored event, nor is it arranged by a specific group or association. It begins whenever everyone gets there, or as Dr. Irving was often quoted as saying, “somewhere precisely between 10 and 11 a.m.”

Dr. Irving organized the parade each year and ensured all appropriate groups were contacted for their participation. He served as the parade’s grand marshal until 2008, when he stepped down after 50 years.

Marchers come complete with candy, balloons … and smiles! Photo by Katie Reid.

People marching in the parade hold balloons and buckets full of candy, ready to toss the sweets to the youngsters, who are watching the parade pass.

The parade has evolved over time into a true community experience, where Lyme residents come together and celebrate their country through cheering, candy and music. Participants change yearly, but always consist of dedicated townspeople, who wish to spend the holiday with their friends, families and neighbors.

There is no order in which people march – spots are determined by who shows up first. Among the participants is always Camp Claire, with children and staff of all ages from the summer camp just down the road dressed in red, white, and blue, marching with enthusiasm. The Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts also are a regular presence with their pack leaders in uniform waving flags.

Photo by Michele Dickey.

Next come the counselors and campers from Camp Claire, pictured above, as they proudly carry their banner and wave to spectators, while cheerfully singing, “It’s a Grand Old Flag.”

Volunteers from the town’s fire department and ambulance association, pictured below, walk to show their support. Members of the Lyme Corgi Club proudly march along with their dogs to celebrate. Various old-fashioned vehicles can be seen driving the parade route from Cove Road to the fairgrounds.

Photo by Katie Reid.

Any Lyme citizen of any age is welcome to walk, drive, scoot, bike, glide, fly, swim, hover, skip, slip-n-slide or march in the 0.4-mile parade to show their national and town spirit.

Along with the parade, Irving also created other celebratory July 4th traditions, some of which persist to this day. Second Selectman Parker Lord leads the ceremonial firing of the muskets to mark the beginning of the parade – a shot heard ‘round the town announcing the beginning of the procession.

The traditional firing of muskets signals the start of the Lyme Fourth of July Parade. Photo by Michele Dickey.

After the parade ends, the Lyme Parks and Recreation Department sponsors a barbeque at the Grange, where people from the town mingle and eat. This tradition has only begun within the past 10 years but has become a staple of the annual observance.

Dr. Irving, after each parade, would go to Cove Road Bridge and throw in tea bags in honor of the progress made since the colonists performed the historic act, which became known as the Boston Tea Party. This tradition is no longer observed; it stopped in 2015 when Dr. Irving passed away. A well-loved and much-missed member of the Lyme community, Dr. Irving’s memory lives on in the annual Cove Road parade.

About the Author: Sadie Frankel is a student at Lyme-Old Lyme High School where she is active in many school activities, including the theater, school newspaper, model UN and robotics program. She has been accepted to The School of the New York Times this summer for a journalism program.

Filed Under: Community, Lyme

High Hopes Appoints New Board Chair, Trustees

June 30, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Newly-appointed High Hopes Board Chair Jacqueline Kangley of Hadlyme leads a rider on the organization’s grounds. Photo credit: Michael Fanelli .

OLD LYME — High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc. has appointed Jacqueline Kangley of Hadlyme as its new chair of the board of trustees for a two-year term.

Kangley was introduced to therapeutic riding by her Essex Elementary School classmates and has been a volunteer at High Hopes since 2004. She has been a Trustee since 2015 and currently volunteers in the therapeutic riding program and serves on the Program, Marketing Advisory, Event, and Development Committees.

She has co-chaired the ‘Concert in the Barn’ and served on many Auction, Décor, and other Benefit Committees. She is a past recipient of the Sally H. Aubrey Award, and the 2018 Path Intl. Region 1 Volunteer of the Year for her outstanding contribution to High Hopes.

“High Hopes is a unique, vibrant community with an important mission. For over 15 years, I’ve watched participants, instructors, volunteers, and horses work together to improve each others’ lives in very measurable ways. I am grateful to be a part of the High Hopes team and value this opportunity to help guide the organization,” said Kangley of her appointment.

As her first order of business Kangley thanked John Catlett as well as outgoing trustees Seymour Smith and Katherine Gibson. Catlett is stepping down as Chair but will continue as a trustee at the Old Lyme non-profit. Kangley said, “Under John’s leadership, High Hopes has ushered in its 45th year with a strong respect for its past and a clear vision for the future. He has overseen the launch of the ‘Share Hope’ Endowment Campaign, the implementation of a new strategic plan, and encouraged an active, engaged board.”

Kangley concluded, “John, Seymour, and Katherine exemplify the dedication and commitment of the over 650 volunteers who help keep High Hopes running. Thank you for all they have done to support High Hopes’ mission.”

Handing over the gravel, Catlett commented: “Jackie is an outstanding choice to lead High Hopes as it begins to implement its latest Strategic Plan and transitions to the public phase of its endowment campaign. Jackie’s long involvement with the organization gives her a deep understanding of High Hopes and positions her well to take on this important role. I’m sure she will help lead the organization to an even stronger position to help impact the lives of those who depend so much on High Hopes.

Two new trustees were also welcomed to the Board, Sarah Kitchings Keenan and Margaret (Mac) Mummert. Each will serve for a three-year term.

Sarah and her husband Christopher reside in Essex with their three children, Ryan, Maggie, and Ashley. Her son, Ryan, has been an active High Hopes participant for five years; both of her daughters have attended the High Hopes Unified Summer Camp. Sarah has served as a member of the High Hopes Development Committee and is currently Treasurer of the Essex Elementary School Foundation.

Mac Mummert of Lyme.

Lyme resident Mac Mummert and her husband, Earl, are veterinarians and have owned four small animal practices. Her special interests include internal medicine and oncology. She has served in many local civic organizations including the Lyme Garden Club, the Child and Family Agency and is a Past President of the SE Connecticut Professional Women’s Network.

Mummert has also served on the vestry of St. Ann’s Episcopal Church and was District Commissioner of the Connecticut Valley Pony Club. Mac has two children, Brian and Anya. Anya has been a participant at High Hopes since she was five and now works as a volunteer twice weekly.

High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit based in Old Lyme, CT. Established in 1974, High Hopes serves over 1500 people each year with a unique range of therapeutic riding, carriage driving, and equine earning programs. Ninety-six percent of the organization’s workforce are volunteers who find their own lives enriched by our training, and the power of the horse-human interaction.

Participants include children, teens, adults, and seniors. Horses can build physical strength, emotional resilience, and cognitive development. Families in crisis learn how to trust; veterans deal with PTSD; teens at risk of substance abuse learn self-respect and children in wheelchairs feel the freedom of movement.

Filed Under: Community, Essex, Lyme, Old Lyme, Top Story

Death of Christ The King Former Pastor Announced; Burial Mass Today

June 30, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

The death of Rev. Msgr. Thomas Bride, the former pastor of Christ the King Church in Old Lyme, has been announced. Monsignor Bride was pastor at Christ the King from 2007 to 2014.

A Vigil for the Deceased with Reception at the Church will take place today, Sunday, June 30, at 3 p.m. at Christ the King, and his body will lie in state until 7 p.m. this evening, when a Parish Mass will be celebrated for his repose.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated tomorrow, Monday, July 1, at 10 a.m., also at Christ the King Church. Bishop Cote will preside.

Rev. Msgr. Bride’s service to the Diocese of Norwich goes back to 1967 when he was ordained. During his 52 years as a priest, he served as director of vocations for 34 years and as vicar general of the diocese for 21 years.

Prior to coming to Christ the King Church, he was pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Quaker Hill.

Visit this link on theday.com to read a full obituary of Rev. Msgr. Bride.

Filed Under: Community, Old Lyme

Mamma Mia! Opens at Ivoryton Playhouse, Runs Through July 28

June 27, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Mamma Mia! cast members (from left to right) Cooper Grodin, Dane Agostinis, Stephanie Gomerez and Billy Clark Taylor rehearse a scene from the show now playing at the Ivoryton Playhouse.

IVORYTON – The Ivoryton Playhouse has been transformed from an historic New England theatre to a Mediterranean island, filled with the music universally loved for over 40 years!

Over 60 million people worldwide have fallen in love with the characters, the story and the music that make Mamma Mia! the ultimate feel-good show. Set on a Greek island paradise, the story-telling magic of ABBA’s timeless songs propels this enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship, creating an unforgettable show.

On the eve of her wedding, Sophie reads her mom’s diary, only to discover that the father she has never met, could be one of three men. The wedding invitation brings Sophie’s three dads to the Greek Isles in search of the life that could have been with Sophie’s mother, Donna.

The show is filled with laughter, heart and 22 hit songs including “Super Trouper”, “Lay All Your Love on Me”, “Dancing Queen”, “Knowing Me, Knowing You”, “Take a Chance on Me”, “Thank You for the Music”, “Money, Money, Money”, “The Winner Takes It All”, “Voulez-Vous”, “SOS” and the title track.

The three leading ladies of Mamma Mia!, from left to right, Carly Callahan, Laiona Michelle and Jessie Alagna sing a number in the show now playing at the Ivoryton Playhouse.

As of 2018, the show has productions in London’s West End, where it is the seventh longest-running show in West End history, as well as various international productions. Its Broadway incarnation closed in September 2015 after a 14-year run, making it the ninth longest-running show in Broadway history.

Get swept away by the infectious music, uplifting story, and dazzling dance numbers that have made Mamma Mia! a worldwide phenomenon.

The production stars Laiona Michelle* as Donna. Laiona was seen on Broadway as Nanna in Amazing Grace and in The First National Tour of The Book of Mormon. Most recently she starred as the legendary jazz icon in the world premiere of Little Girl Blue – The Nina Simone Musical. Joining her as her best buddies and the other two members of the band are Jessie Alagna* as Rosie and Carly Callahan as Tanya.

Callahan was last seen here in The Fantasticks and The Ivoryton Playhouse ChristmasHour. This is Alagna’s debut in Ivoryton.

Cooper Grodin*, Dane Agostinis* and Billy Clark Taylor* take on the roles of the dads and Stephanie Gomerez and Jack Kay play the young lovers, Sophie and Sky.

Evan Benjamin, Kelley Davies, Nico DiPrimio, Mark Gilchrist, Nicholas Gonzalez, Nigel Hall, Aliah James, Amanda Lupacchino, Melissa McLean, Ana Yi Puig, Carolina Santos Read*, Nathan Russo, Cameron Khalil Stokes, and Audrey Wilson complete this talented and energetic cast.

The production is directed and choreographed by J.R. Bruno and musical directed by David Madore with set design by Glenn Bassett, lighting design by Marcus Abbott and costume design by Elizabeth Saylor.

Mamma Mia runs through July 28. Performance times are Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Evening performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.

Additional matinee performances are on Saturday, July 6, and July 20, at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $55 for adults; $50 for seniors; $25 for students and $20 for children and are available by calling the Playhouse box office at 860-767-7318 or by visiting our website at www.ivorytonplayhouse.org

(Group rates are available by calling the box office for information.) The Playhouse is located at 103 Main Street in Ivoryton.

*denotes member of Actors Equity

Photographer: Jonathan Steele

Filed Under: Arts, Community, Essex, Top Story

Play Bingo Wednesdays through the Summer at Sound View!

June 26, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Sound View Beach Association hosts Bingo on Wednesdays in the summer through Sept. 4, at the Shoreline Community Center, 39 Hartford Avenue, Old Lyme.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the game starts at 7 p.m.

Come for a fun evening and win some money!

Admission is $12 per person.

For information, call Bob at 860-434-3745 or 860-225-9458.

Filed Under: Community, Old Lyme

Op-Ed: What’s Happening With Halls Road? Looking Back, Looking Forward, a Personal View of the Project

June 12, 2019 by Mark Terwilliger Leave a Comment

The view (minus traffic!) looking up Halls Road today — how will it look in 10 year’s time?

Editor’s Note: We felt it would be helpful to our readers to provide some context to Saturday’s Open House on the future of Halls Road and the important discussions it involves about the future of Old Lyme. While we were working on an article, Mark Terwilliger submitted his own thoughts on the project. We are publishing his piece here and will now publish our own later in the week. In the interests of full transparency, we note that Terwilliger is the partner of Halls Road Improvement Committee member Edie Twining.

What’s going on with Halls Road?

The Halls Road Improvement Committee (HRIC) is tasked with leading a town-wide discussion on the future of the Halls Road district. The ultimate goal of these discussions is the creation of a master plan that will guide future outside investments and development in that area.

How did this come about?

Some people in town were pushing for road and traffic changes to improve pedestrian / bicycle access to the shopping area on Halls Road, and asking the town to allocate money for those purposes. The town seemed amenable.

Other people said, “Wait a minute. Why should we make a non-trivial investment in this when we don’t even know what other (private or state) changes are planned, or in the offing, for this district? For that matter, we don’t even know what the town as a whole wants or needs from the future of this district.” And that began the process of looking in a more formal way at what changes we might want to see in the Halls Road district over the course of the next decade or two.

Why not just leave it alone?

Change is coming, whether we want it or not. No one can stop it. Our only choice is either to try to shape that change in the directions we want, or to let the changes happen to us without our input. The only outcome that is flatly impossible is “no change.”

The grocery stores of Old Lyme make a good example of change. In the early 20th century there were multiple grocers, meat markets, and general stores in various districts of Old Lyme. Main Street (as it was called then) had several, one of which was the A&P. The A&P was still the main grocery (and still on Lyme St.) in the 1950s. They told the town they needed to greatly expand their store and nearby parking to stay in business. Eventually the town responded by making two major adjustments.

A group of local investors raised money for a “modern” strip center along Halls Rd., and the town changed the zoning in that area to make it only suitable for such use: they zoned it for commercial use only, and required a 60 ft. set-back from the road to leave ample space for cars. When the A&P expanded further, new investors were sought and the original community investors held only a minority interest.

The A&P eventually went bankrupt, but the owners of the shopping center found a new anchor tenant in the Big Y.

Attracting and keeping businesses requires cooperation and responsiveness on the part of the town. The Big Y has a much larger store nearby in Old Saybrook and several more along the shoreline. I have no idea what the Big Y’s plans are for their smaller Old Lyme store, and anyone who is privy to that sort of information might not be at liberty to say.

Businesses make their own decisions based on their own interests, and that is as it should be. And that is the point. The environment changes, and businesses adapt or die. The town itself has a role to play in creating an environment that favors the kinds of businesses, the kinds of investments, and the kinds of development that will create and support the town as they want it to be.

What should we, as a town, hope to accomplish?

There is more to the town’s role than simply reacting to some proposed change or hustling to stave off a bad outcome. The whole object of the current process is to point to the most positive future for the Halls Road area and devise a sound set of measures to help create it.

If we (with the help of the HRIC and others) can put together a solid picture of the economic advantages of locating certain kinds of businesses in Old Lyme, and if we can demonstrate that we are in broad agreement as to what kinds of development we would like in the Halls Road area, and show that we are prepared to make the changes necessary to permit and promote that kind of development, then we have a much greater chance of attracting developers who will make the significant investments of money and time required to make our plans a reality.

All of these “ifs” will take time, effort, and involvement from many different groups and individuals. The Halls Road Improvement Committee is looking for broad-based participation, particularly in the processes leading to the creation of a master plan that can guide future developments along Halls Road.

A master plan does not create anything by fiat. The objective, rather, is to create a plan that has broad support, has a firm basis in economic realities, and offers attractive opportunities for reputable developers and current owners alike.

If we do not make this effort, if we simply leave the future shape of Halls Road to the uncoordinated, one-point decisions of each current and future property owner with no guidance from the town, we will have no room to complain when things do not go as we wish. That could happen in a big way if we do not plan ahead. Changes well beyond the control of the town or any particular business are already under way.

How have things changed?

Retail stores, particularly in strip malls and big box malls, are under severe pressure from online shopping. More than half of U.S. households are Amazon Prime members. I would guess the percentage is even higher in Old Lyme. The online-centered lifestyle has nearly killed the bookstores and wrecked retail giants.

Curiously, it has also created a new demand for what Old Lyme once had: a centralized meeting place with a mix of stores and homes, public buildings and public parks — a place where one could park the car and walk to do errands, meet friends, hear the latest, or just watch the world go by. It’s the meeting places and public life that are missing in the online-focused world.

Retailers and developers have taken notice and altered their plans accordingly. “Mixed use” is the one environment in which bricks-and-mortar retail still seems to flourish. It is a mix of residential, shopping, dining, entertainment, supermarkets, offices, and walkable public spaces that provide a place to linger and meet with friends.

When cars were the center of life, shopping required a huge parking lot. Now it takes a cell phone. More and more parking lots are half-empty or dead. It turns out you can’t have a neighborhood without actual neighbors, no matter how clever the marketing. When an area includes real, full-time residents, it feels different and alive. It isn’t just a place to run errands, but a place with a full life of its own.

People want the amenities of shops and so forth, but they also want the experience of other people around them. This is the one thing they cannot get when they are online — as they increasingly are whether at work or at leisure. Mixing residential and commercial, public and private spaces creates a more attractive environment for both businesses and residents.

Unmet needs and Halls Road

Older people who have lived in Old Lyme for decades find they must move to another town if they want to downsize. Mixed use housing in the Halls Road area could be an attractive alternative for many in this situation. It would also be attractive for younger people just starting out in life. Adding new uses to the land near Halls Road will also create new sources of tax revenue, providing some relief for existing tax payers.

What next?

The zoning we created to serve the 1950s’ car culture mandates nothing but strip malls — and that may now be an economic dead end. If we want anything new or different, we will have to make the changes to support it.

We as a town are a long way from having a shared vision of what is best for Halls Road. That process will take time and active participation. The HRIC works to lead the process, to make it transparent, and to keep people informed and involved. As a part of that effort, they are hosting an Open House at Memorial Town Hall this Saturday, June 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

I urge you to stop by for a few minutes and take a look at some of the ideas that are in discussion. The future shape of Halls Road is not a simple yes or no question. Most of us depend on the services available there, and many of us have ideas about how it could be better.

The HRIC Open House on Saturday is the latest opportunity to get involved in the discussion.

Filed Under: Community, Old Lyme, Op-Eds, Top Story

Talking Transportation: Why the Scorn for Bus Riders?

June 9, 2019 by Jim Cameron Leave a Comment

Jim Cameron

Why do many people have such scorn for those who take the bus?

Forty-one million trips are taken on 12,000 public buses each year in Connecticut in communities across the state (not counting school buses.) Yet, those riders are regarded as losers, not by the transit operators, but by those who drive by car.

When Southington was recently considering restoring bus service for the first time since 1969, a local resident wrote a letter to the local paper declaring “Towns that have bus service are towns that frankly have a lesser quality of people.”

Really? “Lesser quality,” how? Because they can’t afford to own a car? Or because they are minorities? That comment is either racist or classist or both.

As I wrote recently, the Greater Bridgeport Transit bus system carries 18,000 passengers every day (5.2 million a year), 90 percent of them either going to school or work. Something like 26 percent of all Bridgeport train riders got to or from the station by bus.

Sure, some are non-white or non-English speaking. But why begrudge them transportation? You’d rather they not have a job or an education?

And yes, their fares are kept low with state subsidies. But their incomes are also low and for them, even a $1.75 bus fare is expensive. Remember … Metro-North trips (26.5 million per year), though also expensive (the highest in the US), are also subsidized.

But the biggest target of transit scorn is CTfastrak, the four-year-old, 9.4-mile-long dedicated BRT (bus rapid transit) system running between Hartford and New Britain. Transit planners from across the country come to study CTfastrak. The Feds are looking to spend $665 million on similar systems across the US.

Yet Connecticut Republicans were trying to close it before it even began.

When it first opened in 2014, the CDOT projected 16,000 daily riders. To date, the ridership is closer to 11,400. Fares are cheap ($1.75 round-trip) and service is frequent with buses departing every few minutes. From New Britain to downtown Hartford, it’s only 20 minutes, even at rush hour. That’s about half the time you’d spend on I-84 stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

From the dedicated bus-only right-of-way, buses can also transfer to local roads into downtown Hartford and communities ranging from New Britain and Bristol to Cheshire and Waterbury. The stations are clean and modern and the buses even offer free Wi-Fi … something we still don’t (and probably never will) have on Metro-North.

Critics complain about “empty buses” riding up and down the system. Sure, the buses may not be jammed like Metro-North on a summertime Friday, but they do carry thousands every day. Imagine if those bus riders were in cars. How’d you like the traffic then?

Why the scorn for bus riders? Beyond racism and class-warfare, I think there’s actually some jealousy. Why do they get a fast, clean, cheap ride when I’m stuck in traffic? Well, for some it’s a matter of necessity: they don’t own or have access to a car. For others, as with train riders, it’s a matter of choice: they prefer the bus for speed and convenience.

So can we please stop shaming bus riders?

Like all of us, they have places to go, so let’s just allow them to ride in peace and harmony.

Posted with permission of Hearst CT Media

About the author: Jim Cameron is founder of The Commuter Action Group, and a member of the Darien RTM. The opinions expressed in this column are only his own. You can reach him at CommuterActionGroup@gmail.com For a full collection of “Talking Transportation” columns, visit www.talkingtransportation.blogspot.com

Filed Under: Community, Lyme, Old Lyme, Talking Transportation, Top Story

Next ‘Hiker’s Happy Hour’ at the Old Lyme Inn to be Held Sept. 5

June 6, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Photo by Pratik Gupta on Unsplash.

The Town of Old Lyme Open Space Commission, the Old Lyme Inn and the Old Lyme Land Trust are sponsoring another “Hiker’s Happy Hour” immediately after a relatively short guided walk Thursday afternoon/evening.

This hike will take place at the Old Lyme Land Trust’s George & Woodward Griswold Preserve located off the Boston Post Rd., about two miles west of Laysville Center and almost opposite Stoneleigh Knoll.

Hikers should meet at 4:15 pm at the Preserve Parking lot. Note that parking is very limited in this lot. Additional parking is available across Boston Post Rd. on Stoneleigh Knoll.

The hike is a fairly relaxed walk of one mile or less over flat terrain, which should take about 45 minutes. It will start from the parking lot and head to the Lower Mill Pond dam and fish ladder. A trail map can be found at the Land Trust’s website.

After trekking the trails, hikers can enjoy a 5 p.m. happy hour at the adjacent Old Lyme Inn.

If the weather turns to steady rain, hikers can just go to the Inn, where Open Space Commission members will be happy to chat and discuss future walks. The public need not hike to enjoy the event; the happy hour at the Inn will begin at 5 p.m. regardless of whether those present have hiked!

Future “Hiker’s Happy Hours” at the Old Lyme Inn are scheduled for Sept. 5 and Oct. 3, with more information to follow.

Filed Under: Community, Old Lyme, Outdoors

Two Lyme-Old Lyme Organizations Combine Their Talents to Build a Beautiful Butterfly Garden

June 3, 2019 by Olwen Logan Leave a Comment

Duck River Garden Club member Fay Wilkman digs deep during Saturday’s event with the Lyme-Old Lyme Junior Women’s Club to plant a butterfly garden at the Cross Lane Playground. Meanwhile, Old Lyme Selectwoman Mary Jo Nosal (standing to rear of photo) takes a break from her digging. Photo by Kimberly Russell Thompson.

A wonderful example of community cooperation took place in Old Lyme last Saturday, which generated not only a great deal of fun and camaraderie at the time, but also a beautiful garden for the future.

It all began with the Lyme-Old Lyme Junior Women’s Club (LOLJWC)’s multi-year campaign to raise funds for new playground equipment at Cross Lane Park, which came to fruition with the official opening of the playground in April 2018. During the campaign, the Club received a generous sum, to which the donor attached two requests. The first was that it should remain anonymous and the second that it be used to create a butterfly garden at the renovated playground as a memorial.

Due to the timing of the playground’s installation, it was not possible to plant the butterfly garden last year but this year everything came together.

Sarah Michaelson plants more perennial pollinator bushes. Photo by Suzanne Thompson.

Petie Reed, owner of Perennial Harmony Garden and Landscape in East Lyme, who is a member of both the LOLJWC and the Duck River Garden Club (DRGC), proposed that the LOLJWC should share development of the project with the DRGC and the DRGC enthusiastically embraced the idea. Reed was assisted throughout the project by her partner, Rich Oliver.

Reed worked with numerous members of both organizations including Suzanne Thompson of the DRGC and Anna Reiter, outgoing LOLJWC President. The group designed it to be a wildlife garden of native plants well-suited for the shaded, boggy terrain. The selection of native shrubs and perennials includes aromatic sumacs, viburnum, huchera, black-eyed susans and baptisia will support many pollinator insects and birds.

Reiter explained that during design discussions, Reed, “suggested we allow for a more community feel to the garden, by allowing families to “adopt” a garden plot.” Reiter continued, “For a nominal fee, we supplied some specific native plants that will encourage local wildlife and pollinators for each of the community garden plots, and families were encouraged to bring their own non-invasive plants for their plot.”

From left to right, Kay Reiter stands with long-time DRGC member Mim Beardsley, incoming LOLJWC President Kim Russell Thompson, and Izzy Thompson. Photo by Suzanne Thompson.

The finishing touch was that the LOLJWC also supplied a ceramic garden stake, which families can take to Ocean Art Studio in Old Saybrook to customize and then place in their garden.

Reiter noted there are still some plots available for purchase, emphasizing that the owner families and LOLJWC members will be watering the gardens throughout the summer to get them established. Once settled in, these native plants will need minimal watering and will continue to spread and naturalize the area around the playground.

A large group of DRGC and LOLJWC members of all ages along with spouses, children, relatives and friends turned out Saturday to spend the morning cheerfully planting and watering. Fay Wilkman and Mim Beardsley, both members of the DRGC, also assisted with the installation, and incoming LOLJWC President Kimberly Russell Thompson summed up the universal feeling at the end of the successful event when she said simply, “It was a very fun day!”

Fun and flowers … and smiles! An LOLJWC member and her daughter (in foreground) and incoming LOLJWC Vice President Angela Mock and her daughter Ally all take a well-earned break from their labors. Photo by Suzanne Thompson.

Looking to the future, Reiter commented, “Petie and I hope these beds also will provide inspiration and ideas to families who want to plant more native flowers and shrubs in their own yards,” while Thompson added, “Next steps are to seek grant funding so we can put up educational signs in the beds, to identify the plants and their benefits to wildlife.”

After expressing sincere thanks to the anonymous donor and all those who had made creation of the butterfly garden a reality, Reiter concluded positively, “We are hoping the community will walk through the gardens and enjoy the beauty of the park and the wildlife — this was a very special gift!”

Editor’s Note: Garden plots are still available for purchase at $30 each. The purchaser must agree to tend and water their garden throughout this season. A rain barrel and water cans are available to make watering fun and easy. If you wish to purchase a plot, visit the LOLJWC website at www.loljwc.com or email Anna Reiter at loljrwomencub@gmail.com. There is a link to purchase a plot on the website.

Filed Under: Community, Lyme, Old Lyme, Outdoors, Top Story

Gainor Davis Appointed to Lead Connecticut River Museum in Essex, Starting July 1

May 31, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Gainor B. Davis, New Executive Director at the Connecticut River Museum in Essex, Conn.

The Connecticut River Museum, on the waterfront in Essex, Conn., has announced the selection of Gainor Davis as the new Executive Director. Chosen after a nationwide search, Ms. Davis will assume the duties of Executive Director on July 10, 2019.

Davis currently serves as the Executive Director of the Historical Society of Carroll County in Westminster, Md., a museum which she has led since January 2015. She is an experienced museum executive, having previously led several important institutions, including serving as the President/CEO of the Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland, Ohio, for six years; as President/CEO of the York (Pa.) County Heritage Trust; as Director of the Vermont Historical Society in Montpelier and Barre, Vt.; and as Executive Director of Longue Vue House & Gardens in New Orleans, La.

Davis has established a reputation of achieving financial stability for her institutions, along with overseeing up-to-date, audience-oriented, relevant programming that has attracted new audiences. Her accomplishments include overseeing the creation of three new hands-on spaces at three different museums – experience that uniquely qualifies her to create and open the Connecticut River Museum’s planned new River Discovery Center on its campus.

Davis brings a strong background in fundraising and marketing, and she has led two successful multi-million-dollar capital campaigns. Prior to her museum-director positions, her fundraising career included posts at Temple University in Philadelphia as Director of Development & Alumni Affairs for the College of Arts and Sciences; at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia as Associate Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations; at the Strong Museum in Rochester, N.Y., as Deputy Director for Public Affairs, and at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia as Director of Development and then as Associate Director of Administration.

Davis holds a Ph.D. in American History from Temple University in Philadelphia, an M.A. in American History and Certificate in Museum Studies from the University of Delaware, Newark, Del., and an A.B. in History from Smith College in Northampton, Mass. She has also published and lectured widely.

She stated, “I am very excited about the role that the museum can play in serving both the Essex-area community and the larger Connecticut River region north of the museum, extending into Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire. I look forward to partnering with local and regional organizations to serve new communities. I am delighted to move back to New England and to the Essex region, where I have many ties, and to become part of the community” Davis added, “It is an honor to be invited to join the capable staff at the CRM and to work with such a committed Board.”

Peter Coombs, who chaired the Search Committee as well as chairing the museum’s board, said, “Gainor Davis was selected after a rigorous national search, with a unanimous decision of the Search Committee and the unanimous approval of the Board. We were impressed with Gainor’s accomplishments over a distinguished career as a history-museum director and advancement professional.”

Davis will take the reins from Interim Director Tom Wilcox, who is leading the museum through the transition period. Previous director Christopher Dobbs announced last August that he had accepted an offer to lead the larger Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Mont., triggering the nationwide search.

The Search Committee was chaired by Board Chair Peter Coombs and co-chaired by Alison Brinkman. It included board and community members Tom Klin, Joanne Masin, Brenda Milkofsky and Tom Wilcox. For the national search, the Connecticut River Museum retained Marilyn Hoffman and Scott Stevens of Museum Search & Reference, an executive-search firm located in Manchester, NH and Boston that specializes in placing museum leaders.

Founded in 1974, the Connecticut River Museum has developed as a place where anyone interested in topics about the River can come and be inspired through exhibitions and collections, a library, educational opportunities and public programs. The mission is to lead in the study, preservation and celebration of the cultural and natural heritage of the Connecticut River and its valley.

Since 1986, it has been accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, a mark of distinction in the field. The Connecticut River Museum’s campus includes the preserved 1878 Essex Steamboat Dock and Warehouse, which was saved from demolition, the Hayden Chandlery, which now serves as the Thomas A. Stevens Library, and the historic 1732 Samuel Lay House.

Education is central to the museum’s mission, and public programs include workshops for school-age children, adult lectures, and on-water excursions aboard the recreation of Adriaen Block’s Onrust and RiverQuest as part of its popular eagle watches. Annually, the museum serves more than 20,000 general visitors, delivers programing to 4,000 school children, and provides scholarship support to a further 1,000 underserved school children and summer campers.

The museum is located on the Essex waterfront at 67 Main Street and is a membership-supported educational organization. Membership is open to all.

For more information regarding the Museum, call 860-767-8269 or see www.ctrivermuseum.org.

Filed Under: Community, Essex, Top Story

Everyone Loves a Parade! Memories of Memorial Day 2019

May 28, 2019 by Admin 1 Comment

Quietly sitting behind a stash of Memorial Day flags, this baby patiently waits for the parade to begin.

It was a perfect day for a parade on Monday in Old Lyme and our wonderful town hosted yet another parade filled not only with mirth and merriment, but also pride and patriotism.

Huge thanks to our fantastic photographers, Troy Clark, Michele Dickey, and Mary Jo Nosal.

The Lyme-Old Lyme High School band, under the direction of Mr. Jay Wilson, leads off the parade.

VFW members march into view soon after …

… followed by Old Lyme’s First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder (front left), Selectwoman Mary Jo Nosal, Selectman Chris Kerr (back right) and State Representative Devin Carney (R-23rd), who acknowledge the cheering crowd.

The three winners of the fifth-grade essay contest, “What Memorial Day Means to Me” ride proudly in the parade. It’s said that one of the best perks of winning the contest is to ride in that red convertible toward the front of the parade! The winners are, from left to right: Silver Medalist Jonathan Farrell, Gold-Medal Winner Carter McGinchy, and Second Runner Up Carlson St. Louis. All attend Lyme Consolidated School.

For perhaps the first time in the parade, a pull-toy bunny chases after a people-powered red wagon. Will it ever catch up?

Another parade first? Members of the Shoreline Roller Derby—an all-female roller-skating league from Groton (think the former Melody Skating Rink)–dazzled spectators while handing out fliers.

The Nightingales Precision Ukulele Band also incorporated a few kazoos …

Members of the Old Lyme Historical Society look resplendent in a horse-drawn wagon.

The Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School Band, directed by Ms. Carrie Wind, performed without music during the parade’s return trip as well!

Pearl Harbor survivor Floyd Welch is a reminder of the real meaning of the holiday.

Lyme-Old Lyme High School’s Techno-Ticks demonstrated a device all along the parade route that tossed baseball-sized beach balls into the crowds lining the route. Some who caught the balls returned them, while others kept them as souvenirs.

The Deep River Fife & Drum Corps play their hearts out …

… while one of Old Lyme Fire Department’s trucks, filled with excited children, follows it down the parade route.

The New London Firefighters Pipes & Drums bring the spirit of Scotland to the parade, and …

… members of the Old Lyme Fire Department (OLFD) look splendid in red and black.

This OLFD member carries flowers into the cemetery …

… to join fellow OLFD members standing in line ready for the cemetery service to begin.

State Senator Paul Formica (R) helps Pearl Harbor survivor Floyd R. Welch from his car …

Mr. Welch makes his way to the service, assisted by Senator Formica and a second gentleman.

Old Lyme Fire Department Chaplain Mervyn Roberts, assisted by two members of the OLFD, heads towards the American Legion tent for VIP guests at the service.

Chaplain Roberts gives his traditional speech at the service.

Commander William Appleby (in sunglasses) looks on attentively while Chaplain Roberts speaks.

Old Lyme First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder (D) stands with Old Lyme Selectman Chris Kerr (R), State Representative Devin Carney (R-23rd) and State Senator Paul Formica (R-20th)

Chaplain Roberts (second from left) sits with the three essay winners on the front row of the American Legion tent.

What a grand day with so many memories!

Filed Under: Community, Old Lyme, Top Story

The Movie Man: ‘Game of Thrones’ Has Ended — What Did YOU Think of the Finale? And Will You Sign the Petition??

May 21, 2019 by Kevin Ganey Leave a Comment

Kevin Ganey

“What is dead may never die.”

In spring of 2011 I saw advertisements for an upcoming fantasy show on IMDb, Game of Thrones. I did not pay much attention to it, but it did not take long for me to see its effect on everybody else. It became a phenomenon.

Two years later, South Park aired an episode parodying the affairs of Westeros with the imminent Black Friday as retail’s version of “winter is coming.” I was intrigued and asked around if this show was all that it was hyped up to be. My Christmas list that year included the DVD for the available seasons.

But I did not catch on.

I made it to the third episode and got distracted. This paralleled my fitness life, “I should get back to it, but I’ll need some motivation.”

So, the next several years passed by, and I was always out of the loop when it came to references such as “You know nothing, Jon Snow” and “Hold the door.” I even accompanied a friend to a tattoo parlor as he had the phrase “Valar Morghulis” (All men must die) permanently inked into his body. My other attempts of getting into the series proved to be fruitless, as well. But I was aware that nobody was safe, as George R. R. Martin killed off his characters like it was a bodily function.

Then in 2017, I happened to meet the actor Pedro Pascal through my job, and I had to confess I did not know who he was, and he proceeded to fill me in on his role as Oberyn Martell, but I informed him I had only made it three episodes in. Pascal consoled me saying that I would need to get into the second or third season to get that “hook” that everybody experienced. The next year, I tried watching again, and I made it past the first season, but was distracted (again).

Finally, after taking a position in the night shift, I decided to give it my full attention, and by the end of March 2019, I got “the hook.” After finishing one episode, I would instinctively start the next one, without thinking.

I finally understood what everyone was talking about when they repeated those iconic phrases, and the memes that would perfectly allude to real life events. I would spend hours watching interviews with the cast, particularly Emilia Clarke (her interviews prove that she is a phenomenal actress, nothing like the steadfastly ambitious Daenerys, but someone so silly and adorable that you feel the need to hug her.)

And above all, I was finally ready for the end of the series. HBO opted not to air the eighth and final season in 2018, but rather delayed it another year. Perhaps I can be naïve and think it was cosmically arranged for me to get caught up? But whatever. I had my computer ready to screen each episode after my work was done.

I enjoyed the first three episodes, tearing up when Jamie knighted Brienne, and clenching my grip on the chair as the North battled the armies of the Night King. I was already speculating on how the series would end. It was revealed in the previous season that the supposed bastard Jon Snow was the true heir to the Iron Throne, not Daenerys, the girl we were rooting for the entire time, so how would things turn out?

Would he abdicate in favor of the Mother of Dragons?

Would there be a conflict between the two of them?

And what would become of the malevolent and self-centered Cersei?

Nearly a third of my text messages in the last six weeks dealt with me trading theories with friends and commenting on whether they would work or not. It had to be good, since the show had so many satisfying moments in their conflicts, particularly when Sansa imprisoned the poster boy of sadism, Ramsay Bolton, who tormented her and several others, and had him fed to his own hounds (I was grinning ear to ear and pumping my fists when I watched this transpire.)

But when the last three episodes aired, I did not get the fulfillment I anticipated. To be frank, it was the weakest conclusion to the most intense series I had ever watched. It was almost as if one of Daenerys’ dragons gathered in as much air as he could, cocking his head back, and then thrusting forward to reveal, not a firestorm, but rather a mouth full of sparklers that had replaced his teeth.

Really?

I put so much priority over the course of five years to get myself hooked on the show that had taken the world by storm, and I finally caught on for the lamest conclusion ever. They had us on the hook for over eight years, and they could not provide a fitting conclusion. I sat before my computer, often wondering to myself out loud “How much longer is this?” It’s almost as if their creativity ran dry, and they thought to themselves, “How else are we going to get paid?”

Without giving away any spoilers, I can say, even if it seems arrogant, that this is not the ending we fans deserve. In fact, this is not the ending that the show, in itself, deserves (particularly the actors who have been there since the beginning!)

Yes, this is probably what was bound to happen when George R. R. Martin neglected to publish his final books as the series took the world by storm, having nothing to work with at the end of season five … but David Benioff and D. B. Weiss did manage to make the two following seasons without the use of Martin’s base material.

There is already a petition circulating the internet of fans demanding that the eighth season be tossed away, and a replacement season made in its place. A piece of retroactive continuity (similar to how Halloween’s sequels were done away with, and the 2018 installment is now a direct sequel.) Here is a link to the petition, and should a reader reach a similar conclusion as this review, I would urge them to sign it.

“And now our watch has ended.”

About the Author: Kevin Ganey has lived in the Lyme/Old Lyme area since he was three-years-old, attended Xavier High School in Middletown and recently graduated from Quinnipiac University with a degree in Media Studies. Prior to his involvement here at LymeLine.com, he worked for Hall Radio in Norwich, as well as interned under the Director of Communications at High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center. Kevin has a passion for movies, literature, baseball, and all things New England-based … especially chowder.

Filed Under: Community, Lyme, Old Lyme, The Movie Man, Top Story

Where Art Meets Nature: I-Park Hosts Free, Open Studios Event Today

May 19, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

The public is invited to visit I-Park for its first Open Studios of the 2019 season. Guests will be able to meet six of the seven resident artists on Sunday, May 19, at 2 p.m. I-Park is located at 428 Hopyard Rd. in East Haddam, which adjoins the Devil’s Hopyard State Park.

The facility is generally closed to visitors to give the artists undisturbed time to work on their creative endeavors. But once a month, at the conclusion of each residency, visitors are invited to meet the artists in their studios, attend the presentation segment that features select time-based works, enjoy complimentary refreshments and stroll the trails winding through I-Park’s scenic, art-filled campus.

The studios will only be open from 2 until 3:30 p.m. so guests are encouraged to arrive early so they have enough time to visit all the studios before the 3:30 p.m. presentations.

A reception with refreshments will follow.

I-Park is an artists-in-residence program offering fully funded residencies in visual arts, creative writing, music composition/sound art, moving image and architecture/landscape design. Since its founding in 2001, I-Park has sponsored more than 900 residencies, and has developed cross-‐disciplinary projects of cultural significance and brought them to life in the public domain.

Set within a 450-acre nature preserve, I-Park has a strong interest in site-responsive and environmental art – and has been the setting for exhibitions, performances, symposia and programs that facilitate artistic collaboration.

The Artists-in-Residence at I-Park.

The artists-in-residence are:

Marianne Barcellona is a painter and professional photographer from New York City. Her extensive travels provide raw inspiration for her paintings.

Hugh Livingston is a composer and sound artist from California who creates multi-media installations related to natural and built spaces; he also performs exploratory cello music. His artworks have been installed internationally.

Colette Lucas is a mixed media artist and gardening enthusiast based in New Hampshire. Her botanical motifs are created from a combination of imagination, observation and research.

Tom Nazziola, a New Jersey composer, has had his music featured on virtually every medium in the world of music. From “live film music” to choral and orchestral pieces, his compositions have been performed around the world.

Dominica Phetteplace is a prize-winning Washington (state) poet and writer whose work has appeared in Asimov’s, Zyzzyva, Copper Nickel and Ecotone as well as numerous other publications.

Allison Roberts is a lens-based artist from Oklahoma. She works primarily with photography, video and installation to address memory, place and identity as such are experienced during periods of transition.

Jane Simpson is a mixed media artist from New Hampshire. Her collage and assemblage work is comprised mainly of found paper – made either by mother nature or human ingenuity. Recently she has incorporated graphite drawings inspired by vintage photographs.

Although admission to Open Studios is free, advance reservations are requested. To reserve your space, visit i-park.org. For additional information, email events@i-park.org, call 860-873-2468 or visit i-‐park.org.

Filed Under: Arts, Community, Lyme, Outdoors