Colin Moll
The lazy days of summer were anything but lazy here in the Town of Suffield!
This summer has been a busy and productive one, with work progressing on several important projects throughout Town that will enhance our roads and facilities. It hasn’t been all work and no play, however. Residents have been enjoying the Town Green and its new bandstand, along with the summer concert series, Saturday night movies, car shows and farmers markets.
As summer winds down and school buses prepare to return to our streets, we thought it would be a great time to take a look back at what we’ve been up to this summer. Here is an update on some of the projects, improvements, and activities happening around Suffield.
- The new bandstand, which replaced the old gazebo on the Town Green, is now complete. A big thank you to Robin Zatony and the Suffield Rotary Club for their dedication and efforts from the project’s inception through completion. We are also incredibly grateful to those whose generous donations fully funded the project: the Suffield Rotary Club, Elzear and Patricia Roy, the Casinghino family, the Suffield Woman’s Club, the Suffield Garden Club, Robin Zatony and the many Suffield residents who contributed.
- Final installation for the $3.3 million HVAC project at the High School is complete. This project was 50% funded through State grants.
- Quarry Road is officially open.
- Mapleton Sidewalk project that received grant funding over five years ago is finally out to bid after the State approved final design. Bids are due by September 8 with a hopeful project start time immediately after
- We await final design and approval changes for the Farmington Canal Trail. Our hopes are to still go out to bid, along with project completion for this fall. The project was fully funded through the Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program (LOTCIP)
- The Town Wide Radio Project continues. Some project delays involving lease agreements and site issues have pushed completion towards the end of the year.
- After additional funding approval from the Board of Education, the bridge that connects Spaulding and the high school will be going to bid for replacement this month.
- The Windsor Locks Canal Trail Project continues. After our initial acceptance of DEEP’s (Department of Energy and Environmental Protection) plan to replace the trail with a stone dust trail, CT DOT did not accept the plan and is requiring the trail be replaced with asphalt. We are currently requesting additional funds from the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) who fully funded the original project through the LOTCIP grant. We expect the requested increase for funding will be approved.
- The Town was recently approved for grants through the State Local Bridge Program for $1.6 million to replace the culvert/bridge on Hickory St. and Copper Hill Road. With funding secured through the grants and approved bonding early this year, the design and planning phases will now begin. We hope to have project start dates in the spring.
- Following concerns about further structural failure, the Town recently received an engineering report recommending the closure of the section of Suffield Street where the culvert is failing. The Town is currently exploring temporary bridge options to allow for continued use of the road while a permanent solution is developed. Unfortunately, as with the Hickory and Copper Hill culverts, the Town cannot simply replace these structures on its own timeline. The design and installation process require approvals from multiple agencies, including the Connecticut (DEEP) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which can take time. Please look for updates on the Town’s website as more information becomes available.
- The Permanent Building Commission is currently assessing the results of recent soil testing at potential new sites as part of its ongoing work on the Facilities Master Plan, focusing on the future needs of the middle school and firehouse headquarters.
- We still expect to begin work on Phelps Road reconstruction this fall. Look for updates on the Town website.
Congratulations to our long-term Human Resources Director Karin Ziemba on her retirement. Thank you to her for the commitment, dedication and hard work for the Town and during my time.
Welcome back to school, students! I hope everyone enjoys these last few weeks of summer and makes the most of the remaining warm days.
I look forward to seeing everyone at Suffield on the Green on September 12 and 13.
As always, my door at Town Hall is always open.