Residents and business people alike are invited to a Creative Placemaking meeting scheduled for 7 p.m., Thursday, November 8 at the Olde Town Mill, 8 Mill Street, New London. The meeting will continue to develop the ideas borne out of a Creative Placemaking Workshop held October 18th at the Winthrop School.
The October 18th workshop, sponsored by New London Landmarks, attracted an enthusiastic crowd of about 40 people.
Art Costa presented the results of a survey on Hodges Square and the surrounding area. Afterwards, a workshop ensued of small groups discussing the assets and possibilities of Hodges Square.
Recognizing the end goal was a master plan for the area, residents and business people who attended agreed to meet monthly, and the November 8th meeting at Olde Town Mill is the first one. Meetings will continue into the spring.
Key strengths of the area include Riverside Park, the Coast Guard Academy, Connecticut College and the Lyman Allyn Museum, Costa told the group.
One major topic of the workshop responded to the duality of Hodges Square – which possesses a major asset as a throughway to Route 32 and Interstate 95, which makes it highly visible.
Participants thought its location could be capitalized upon by having people slow down and perhaps visit local businesses. The key question was how to encourage the traffic to take a second look and linger, while at the same time not discouraging people from still using it as a throughway.
Some of the suggestions from the workshop which will continue to be explored include traffic calming, better lighting, branding a distinct identity for the area as well as signage, local transit, ethnic restaurants and even a fresh food market, or concerts at Riverside Park.
Hodges Square Workshop
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Carol Haley May 19, 2013 at 07:14 pm
Here's the latest Spencer from the AP, if we can believe them:
Traffic in southwest Connecticut…Read More could be a mess for as much as a week until service is restored to the commuter rail line affected by a derailment that injured scores of passengers, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy warned Sunday.
Carol Haley May 19, 2013 at 05:26 pm
I read that Malloy is hoping Monday but there are problems with the tracks and that has to be…Read More repaired. Taking a guestimate, if it isn't Monday, maybe the end of the week.
John Martin May 19, 2013 at 02:42 pm
Of course, you are assuming that the government fund managers would be responsible. So far, this has…Read More been far from the case. The Federal government has plundered Social Security for decades, the teacher and state employee funds have been systematically looted. Of course they want to open this up to anyone with dollars in their pockets.
I am not opposed to a program like this - in fact, economies of scale using voluntary contributions in a well-managed plan could be quite beneficial. If the government is going to be allowed to administer the program, there needs to be stringent safeguards, the funds must be untouchable, and there should be swift and significant consequences for mismanagement.
Oh, but wait - this is Connecticut. Of course people will find their dollars funding the 'progressive' agenda with no regard for the state's fiduciary, legal, and moral obligation to the contributors.
Kathleen Mitchell May 19, 2013 at 10:45 am
If I read this correctly and, if not, I'm sure someone will correct me, the highlights of this bill…Read More are
(1) It's designed for workers "who do not have access to a retirement plan through their employer"
(2) "workers can take their investment with them as they move from job to job."
(3) "whatever administrative costs are associated with the plan are charged to the participants themselves, not Connecticut taxpayers."
I haven't read the bill yet but I don't see anything in this article by Richard Waselik regarding an employer contribution or match so what is the problem?
Sue P. May 19, 2013 at 10:20 am
Richard, Are you the same Richard that sent a letter to the city council when you became concerned…Read More that people that did not work for the city long enough were contributing to the pension plan? I think I have a copy of it somewhere. I think you were concerned that people were getting vested and they were not suppose to be yet.
Carol Haley May 17, 2013 at 07:44 am
Pretty funny Spencer. But you don't want a museum there. You need something that generates taxes.…Read More Museums are mostly non-profit thereby not generating any taxes. I know you were being funny. I was disgusted to read the developer couldn't show financial backing.
Kathleen Mitchell May 17, 2013 at 05:47 pm
Who would haveever thought of Wasp Spray?
When you get the case of spray, be sure and drop a can off…Read More at my house;>)
Carol Haley May 17, 2013 at 12:34 pm
Barbara, I agree with you. But it is probably a lot easier to get an illegal social security number…Read More than we would know. There are two ways of looking at this issue, but my resentment is that I have to pay for them.
Barbara Crocker May 17, 2013 at 07:52 am
But for state aid they would have to have a Social Security number. Bending and breaking laws is…Read More how they got here in the first place. The fact that elected officials condone and encourage these laws to be broken is the biggest problem that I have with this whole debacle. "Undocumented residents" place a burden on all of us, and take jobs that could be worked by legal residents. Employers hire illegals (yes I prefer calling them what they are, to hell with being politically correct) because it saves them money, not because "no one else would work these jobs". This is a slap in the face to all of our ancestors who came to this country and followed the rules to become citizens.
Carol Haley May 17, 2013 at 06:51 am
The way things have been going in the eastern part of the United States, as long as the illegals are…Read More not breaking the law criminally (motor vehicle is different), they are not arrested for being illegal. Its the illegal immigrants who break the law, such as the large drug bust recently in the papers. As long as they are minding their own business, they get a pass. The only problem I have with illegals is their rush to get on state aid, food stamps, etc. I don't think we should have to support those that choose to live in this country illegally. Becoming a US citizen is not cheap. It is expensive, but it is something that they must work for.
Carol Haley May 15, 2013 at 05:05 pm
Sounds like a bunch of goobledygook to me. And Sue, the Democrats being divided isn't anything new…Read More as well as the backstabbing and bs. It's been going on for years. That is one of the reasons I changed to independent a long time ago. I'm presently a Democrat, but changing back to independent as soon as I can get down there.
Felicia Hendersen May 15, 2013 at 09:00 am
Bravo Sue P. And Kathleen I changed the word from "her" to "his". Why should…Read More people not question the motives of the city council president?
Sue P. May 15, 2013 at 08:53 am
Glad to here that Felicia, I sure hope that you are who you are and not the HE I was told you are.…Read More Now is the time to work together and not pick each other apart like the Administration is doing to the Democrat Town Committee.You should see how divided they are and all the back stabbing and bickering that goes on. I say stay clear of that group.
Luis Smart May 14, 2013 at 07:04 am
I agree Richard argyle sweaters would have really made it. It is really sad Michael Passero has gone…Read More to the dark side and has aligned himself with the administration rather than the people of the city. The one time high vote getter will be all done in November.
Richard Cranium May 13, 2013 at 10:26 pm
I think it is pretty funny although they should be wearing argyle vest sweaters!