PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID DANBURY CT PERMIT NO. 254
DECEMBER 14, 2023
Restaurant, spa, and bed & breakfast on Putnam Park Road one step closer to reality
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REDDING, CONNECTICUT
Volume 2 / Issue 27
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Index
Big Outdoors Editorial Legal Notices Sports
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Georgetown selected for Main Street Accelerator program By Donna Christopher
By Jessie Wright
Adjacent to Putnam Memorial State Park on Route 58, just over the town border in Bethel, stands a disheveled looking historic building at 150 Putnam Park Road. Owners of the eight-acre property – which now includes a combination of three total adjacent lots – hope to transform the site into an organic farmstand, restaurant, spa, and bed & breakfast. “The unique combination of the park’s nature, water, and locations of the property with its own scenic resources – the Little River Pond and its giant white oak tree, the centerpiece of property attraction – suggests extension and use of the property by the general public,” said Yelena Shafeyeva, Redding resident and principal member of Begell LLC, which purchased the property in late 2021. The owners have undertaken clean-up of the property over the last two years, including clearing debris from Little River Pond, according to Shafeyeva, working with Bethel’s Planning and Zoning officials to follow environmental guidelines and develop the concept for the future site operations. “We had to work with the Town of Bethel Zoning Department and met with (Bethel Town Planner) Beth Cavagna to discuss possibilities of ideas and made a presentation of what there can be potentially done,” said Shafeyeva. The initial project they proposed included a farm-stand for seasonal growing of organic vegetables, a year-round greenhouse, a retail store for locally grown and imported food and crafts, daily operational cafeteria, professional kitchen, and a restaurant. A second plan for development included the addition of a spa and suites for overnight guest accommodation. “It is envisioned to apply sustainable planning process for the property development from the beginning and implement the latest renewable energy technologies,” said Shafeyeva. On Tuesday, November 28, the Bethel Planning and Zoning Commission considered Begell LLC’s application to amend the Town’s zoning regulations to include a bed-and-breakfast and personal services as allowed uses in the existing Neighborhood Services Overlay District. “They do have an Overlay Zone for that area that allows for all different things – you’ll notice there’s a Mitchell’s right down the street that’s a gas station, convenience store, and deli – that’s part
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Photo by Toby Welles
A moody capture of the near-solstice time in Redding, when it’s not quite fall and not quite winter. If you have a photo you’d like to see featured here, with credit of course, e-mail editor@reddingsentinel.org
Georgetown Holiday Fair Sunday, December 17
Photo by Jessie Wright
Santa Bill Dexter greets paradegoers at last year’s Georgetown Holiday Fair.
Welcome Santa (and Martin, the North Pole’s senior elf) to town as they ride through Main Street in the annual Georgetown Holiday Fair parade starting at
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By Jessie Wright
11:00 a.m. on Sunday, December 17. The festivities will continue following the parade, with antique tractor hayrides, refreshments, live music, holiday crafts, and the chance to sit with Santa and Martin to capture the perfect Christmas photo. Members of the annual event’s planning committee, made up of Georgetown residents and business owners, have been hard at work putting together another magical afternoon to ring in the holidays. Rising Starr Horse Rescue will be participating in the parade this year and will have horses and ponies to greet the rest of the day. The Joel Barlow Select Choir will serenade attendees as they enjoy the holiday craft tent, and folks can try their luck at entering the raffle, which will have items donated by local businesses like restaurant
gift cards, a cord of firewood, and more. The Georgetown Volunteer Fire Department will be conducting traffic control and riding in the parade and the Georgetown Lions Club will be on hand to help again this year. Bill Dexter, a longtime Georgetown resident and member of the Connecticut Society of Santas, says he loves to help bring the tradition of parades back to Main Street in Georgetown and to help raise money for local causes and charities. All the proceeds from the event this year will go to support the Georgetown Volunteer Fire Department, Malta House, Daily Bread Food Pantry, and local families in need. Families can meet with Santa and Martin the Elf until 2:00 p.m. in the heated tent at Lombardi’s Trattoria at 22 Main Street for a suggested donation. g
Redding’s Big Outdoors A love letter to Huntington State Park
By Jessie Wright
Photo by Jessie Wright Photo by Jessie Wright
The first two years we lived in Redding passed by in a dreamlike haze – pandemic shutdowns and the absence of our usual Manhattan frenzy tinged the days with pregnant pauses and the smell of fresh air. For all their quietude, however, those days were also filled with overwhelming growth and change – learning how to
manage an 18th-century home and all its quirks, balancing pool chemicals, becoming backyard chicken keepers, surviving six-daylong power outages, welcoming two puppies, mourning profound family losses, hosting visitors, changing jobs, preparing for our first child’s arrival… We found ourselves going
Obituaries Remembering Redding Business Spotlight Book Review
Library Corner The Natural World Calendar of Events
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on contemplative walks often in Huntington State Park for respite, seeking a sense of connection to this new place we called home. Just a six-minute drive from our house, it was the first place we found on the map that called to us to explore. Huntington was where we exchanged our first “hellos” with new neighbors and potential new friends, connections we were hungry for – and that felt safe – during the height of Covid on the Park’s wide-open trails. It’s where we brought our puppies to learn almost everything about the world – this is what gravel feels like on your paws, this is what a horse looks like, that strange contraption rolling towards us is a “stroller” – no, it won’t attack you, this is how you keep respectful Continued on page 7
Georgetown has been chosen as one of six Connecticut communities to participate in Connecticut Main Street Center’s (CMSC) new Main Street Accelerator program. Members of Georgetown Village Restoration Inc., (GVR) an organization dedicated to celebrating the past, supporting the businesses and residents, and facilitating the continued revitalization of the historic village of Georgetown, will participate in the six-month program. Participants will learn and practice the Four Point Main Street Approach, which looks at economic vitality, design, organization, and promotion, while focusing on community transformation – and then apply what they have learned to a challenge in their community. The virtual, six-month program begins in January. The Accelerator program provides the framework for learning about downtown best practices while simultaneously working together to solve a challenge, the release announcing the selection of Georgetown said. Applicants were asked to identify a team of at least three people who could directly impact their identified challenge. Three GVR board members will take the training to find new ways to increase exposure and foot traffic in Georgetown to support businesses and the local community. GVR first bought a membership to Main Street Accelerator and then applied for the program, said Board Member Kate Perry, who will take the training along with two of her colleagues. “We think it’s going to be a great benefit to GVR and Georgetown,” Perry said. “Our organization is on the precipice where we want to learn how to prioritize projects and learn what other towns are doing that may be able to relate to an issue as well.” Perry noted the benefit of being able to meet participants and learn from other success stories. The courses will feature guest speakers and content provided by organizations such as Sustainable CT and Preservation Connecticut, coaching calls, and group assignments. She expects they’ll learn a lot. “It’s an acceleration of all the things they learned that can help communities like ours in the courses,” Perry said. In addition to learning strategic approaches for downtown development and Main Street management, Main Street Accelerator participants will apply what they Continued on page 7