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Harmony Tanguay

About Harmony Tanguay

Posts by Harmony Tanguay:

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Big News!! $330,000 Of Grants Awarded! Bantam, Here We COME!

Awarded $330,000 of grants led by CT DEEP RTP & Seherr-Thoss Foundations. The dream of connecting Bantam is within reach!

Dear Friends,
We have GREAT news to finally share with our Greenway community. While we are knee deep in planning and construction for the Russell Street Extension to the new trail head end at the former Shepaug Railroad station (now the Litchfield Land Trust and Litchfield Community Greenway headquarters), we have been waiting for the results of our grant writing efforts over the winter and early spring.

We are thrilled to report that we’ve been awarded nearly $330,000 of combined grants including $241,125 from the CT DEEP Recreational Trails Program, $48,000 from Seherr Thoss Foundations, $35,000 from Connecticut Community Foundation “Give-Local” and $5,000 from the Northwest Community Bank Foundation. These funds will be used to finalize design, engineering and construction for a 10,000 foot (1.9 mile) extension of the current Greenway, along the former Shepaug Railway right of way, from North Shore Road, across the Bantam River, over High Bridge Road, crossing over Bantam Lake Road and down to Stoddard Road along side the new solar field.

Like most earlier sections of the Greenway, they will utilize land owned by Eversource who remains a key partner and advocate of recreational multi-use trail development. We look forward to communicating more about these plans in the coming months as design work is completed. This project will become the boldest expansion yet for the Greenway and nearly double its length. We expect to complete some additional fundraising to accommodate trailhead parking, signage and many additional benches along the trail.

Ultimately, the Litchfield Community Greenway will become a true connector of the wider Litchfield community, tying the village centers, schools and housing of Litchfield and Bantam together by a safe, pedestrian avenue, through some of the most wonderful, scenic, natural settings the Northwest Hills can offer. Even better this will provide a connection to the longer section of the Shepaug Railway, which continues south along West Morris Road at Rumsey Hall School, down through Hidden Valley & Steep Rock Preserves and Roxbury Land Trust, an epic 22 mile journey!

We cannot thank you enough for all of your support. Please spread the news and encourage folks to join our email list which we hope to grow this year to share all of our progress. We’ll also try to do our best with some of this social media stuff this summer. Stay tuned!
If you have any questions about events, ways to get involved or next phases, send us an email at litchfieldgreenway@gmail.com or visit us at www.litchfieldcommunitygreenway.org.

We’ll see you on The Greenway!

Sincerely,

The Friends of the Litchfield Community Greenway Board of Directors
Clifford A. Cooper, President
Berta Andrulis Mette, Vice President
Chuck Conn, Secretary
Gwen Burgess, Treasurer
John Clock, Bill Jones, Jeff Pratt

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P&Z Hearing Monday – Tonight

Join Us at 7:00pm Tonight at the Public Hearing or Email
Commission Voicing Support for Russell Street Extension

Dear Friend,
A Public Hearing is scheduled for tonight (Monday, April 17) by the Planning & Zoning Commission. The meeting will review the proposed extension of the Greenway from the corner of White Woods Road/South Lake Street to the new head-end located at the Russell Street Train Station. We need supporters of the Greenway to come tonight to voice their support or send in an email to the P&Z Commission today to be considered at the meeting. If you are reading this email, don’t put it off to later – Send a quick email voicing your support.

Please email the Planning & Zoning Commission at:

zoningadmin@townoflitchfield.org

Any emails received before 2pm on Monday should be printed by the land use administrator and shared with the commission. Emails should include your name and Litchfield address and the fact that you’re voicing support for the project.
PLEASE DON’T PUT IT OFF – SEND AN EMAIL NOW!

As a review, the Russell Street extension (Phase 5) of the Litchfield Community Greenway has been designed, funded and is ready for construction assuming we can secure the final permits to start. We are so very excited to connect the Greenway to the original Shepaug Railroad station which now houses the Litchfield Land Trust and soon will be the offices for the Friends of of the Litchfield Community Greenway once the 2nd phase of the renovation is complete later this year.

We have so much more to tell our community in the coming weeks but LETS GET THE WORD OUT TONIGHT!!

If you have any questions about events, ways to get involved or next phases, send us an email at litchfieldgreenway@gmail.com or visit us at www.litchfieldcommunitygreenway.org.

We’ll see you on The Greenway!

Sincerely,

The Friends of the Litchfield Community Greenway Board of Directors
Clifford A. Cooper, President
Berta Andrulis Mette, Vice President
Chuck Conn, Secretary
Gwen Burgess, Treasurer
John Clock, Bill Jones, Jeff Pratt

Biker and runner

A Final Call – Come Tonight!

Support Us at 7:00pm Tonight at the Town Meeting being 
held at Litchfield Intermediate School

Dear Friend,
A Town Meeting is scheduled for tonight (Tuesday, January 31) at the Litchfield Intermediate School at 7:00 PM. The Town of Litchfield Board of Selectmen has allocated some of the Federal ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds that have been awarded to Litchfield to the Greenway and to the Land Trust. Those allocations—$100,000 for the Land Trust and $60,000 for the Greenway—have been approved by the Litchfield Board of Finance and await approval by the voters TONIGHT. These funds will go a long way toward both organizations being able to move forward with their plans.  

It is important that residents like you who support the Greenway and the Land Trust come to the meeting to vote in support of these grants. A great show of support will be an important vote of confidence.
PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT US IN PERSON

If you have any questions about events, ways to get involved or next phases, send us an email at litchfieldgreenway@gmail.com or visit us at www.litchfieldcommunitygreenway.org. 
 
We’ll see you on The Greenway!
 
Sincerely,
 
The Friends of the Litchfield Community Greenway Board of Directors
   Clifford A. Cooper, President 
   Berta Andrulis Mette, Vice President 
   Chuck Conn, Secretary 
   Gwen Burgess, Treasurer 
   John Clock, Bill Jones, Jeff Pratt
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A Call To Action – Support At Meeting

A Call to Action! Come Support Us at the Town Meeting on Tuesday, January 31 at the Litchfield Intermediate School at 7:00pm

Dear Friend,
Thank you for your past support of the Litchfield Community Greenway. Because of friends like you, we have made great strides in the eight years since the opening of the first phase of the Greenway. The trail now extends more than two miles all the way to North Shore Road and will soon include a stretch from the current trailhead at South Lake Street to the old train station on Russell Street which has been renovated by our friends at the Litchfield Land Trust. We all deeply appreciate the support from those in the community like you who see value in the work of both organizations.

We come to you with an important request. The Town of Litchfield Board of Selectmen has allocated some of the Federal ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds that have been awarded to Litchfield to the Greenway and to the Land Trust. Those allocations—$100,000 for the Land Trust and $60,000 for the Greenway—have been approved by the Litchfield Board of Finance and will now go to a Town Meeting for approval by the voters. These funds will go a long way toward both organizations being able to move forward with their plans.

PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT US IN PERSON
A Town Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 31 at the Litchfield Intermediate School at 7:00 PM and it is important that residents like you who support the Greenway and the Land Trust come to the meeting to vote in support of these grants. A great show of support will be an important vote of confidence.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT
If you have any questions about events, ways to get involved or next phases, send us an email at litchfieldgreenway@gmail.com or visit us at www.litchfieldcommunitygreenway.org.

Greenway Oct 2022

Litchfield Greenway Progress – Double Your Money…Again!

Dear Friend,

We are excited about what we have accomplished in the last year with your help. Our Bissell Road boardwalk and crosswalk were completed last Fall. Thanks to you, our supporters, we could fully fund a $35,000 matching grant from the Seherr-Thoss Foundation. With that phase completed, our next challenge is to complete a stretch of trail along Russell Street, beginning at the soon to be renovated railroad station, and continuing south to the intersection of Russell and South Lake Streets, connecting the current Greenway (The Ghost Trail) to the center of Litchfield.
To accomplish this, we have received another matching grant from the Seherr-Thoss Foundation in the amount of $30,000. Due to our successful Give Local event, we have matched all but $9,000 of that amount.

With your help, we can complete this important section
linking the Greenway to the center of town.

Now, the Town of Litchfield has made the Greenway even more accessible by adding a parking lot near the Ghost trail at Whites Woods Road and creating a path linking the lot to the Greenway.

Greenway Oct 2022
Donate Now

The Litchfield Community Greenway has been over 20 years in the making and we are thrilled to be making such significant progress, completing nearly two miles of the five mile planned route.

Our goal is to connect Litchfield and Bantam with an artery that keeps children, families, seniors and pets off of Route 202 and other busy streets. With the steadfast support of friends like you, we are doing it.

Since we receive no financial support from the Town of Litchfield or the state, we cannot develop future sections without the continuing support of the community and the many people like you who believe in the great value and benefit that our community’s Greenway provides for us all.

How can you help?

In addition to regular contributions, you may want to consider these other ways of giving:
  • If you are 70 1/2 or more, as part of your year-end Minimum IRA Distribution, you can direct up to $100,000 to eligible charities instead of to yourself. By doing this, you reduce your income tax liability for that distribution and directly help charities such as the Greenway. You can also make a bequest to the Friends of the Litchfield Community Greenway as part of your estate plan. For more information on these options, contact your financial advisor.
  • For a gift of $5,000 or more you can create a memorial in honor of a loved one or in recognition of an individual or group. Should you have any questions, send us an email at litchfiledcommunitygreenway@gmail.com.
Thank you again for your continuing support and we look forward to updating you on our progress. If you have any questions about events, ways to get involved or next phases, please send us an email at litchfieldgreenway@gmail.com or visit us at www.litchfieldcommunitygreenway.org.
 
Happy Holidays!! We’ll see you on The Greenway!
 
Sincerely,
 
The Friends of the Litchfield Community Greenway Board of Directors
   Clifford A. Cooper, President 
   Berta Andrulis Mette, Vice President 
   Chuck Conn, Secretary 
   Gwen Burgess, Treasurer 
   John Clock, Bill Jones, Jeff Pratt