Old Lyme First Selectman Timothy Griswold (left in photo) sits atop a horse-drawn carriage hosted by Allegra Farms ready for a ride down Lyme Street during Lyme Academy’s 2nd Annual Holiday Enchantment and Tree Lighting.
OLD LYME – On Dec.10, Lyme Academy of Fine Arts welcomed members of the community, young and old, to gather on its campus in Old Lyme for the 2nd Annual Holiday Enchantment and Tree Lighting.
The Academy hosted an “old fashioned” holiday celebration, including horse-drawn carriage rides, visits with Santa, caroling, seasonal musical performances by the Old Lyme Town Band, guided art activities and more.
A highlight of the event was the horse-drawn carriage rides offered by Allegra Farms, which chauffeured attendees up and down Lyme Street on their authentic 19th century coaches and wagonettes, drawn by the impressive Clydesdale horses.
Children came with their wish lists in hand to visit Santa at the event.
Children brought their wish lists to Santa, which provided a perfect opportunity for a family photo.
The crowd gathered around the artistically decorated holiday tree for a musical performance by the Old Lyme Town Band and caroling began at 4 p.m., followed by a tree-lighting ceremony led by Old Lyme First Selectman, Timothy Griswold.
Editor’s Note: The mission of the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts is to teach the foundational skills of drawing, painting, and sculpture in the figurative tradition.
By its commitment to training students in these skills and an engagement with contemporary discourse, the Academy will empower a new generation of artists. Through its programs, the Academy is committed to enriching the cultural life of the community.
As an extension of its programming initiatives, the Academy has recently announced the opening of de Gerenday’s Fine Art Materials and Curiosities, a new shop offering fine art materials and giftable objects from around the globe.
OLD LYME — On Dec. 8, Edie Twining, Chair of the Halls Rd. Improvement Committee (HRIC), sent an email to ‘interested parties ‘Friends of the HRIC’ explaining, “We have asked that the public hearing of the Halls Road Overlay District (HROD) be postponed from Monday, December 12, 2022 to the next meeting of the Old Lyme Zoning Commission on Monday, January 9, 2023.”
She noted that the attorney for the Zoning Commission, Matt Willis, is “Only now in the process of reviewing the HROD documents,” adding that, ” He finds the basic approach permissible, but has some suggestions that we think should be reflected in the final documents.”
Twining emphasized, “It is important for him to finish his review and for us to respond to his concerns before the public presentation.”
She apologized on behalf of the HRIC “For any inconvenience this schedule change may have created,” and also thanked recipients of the email for their, “Continued support of the HROD and a better future for Old Lyme.”
LYME — On Friday, Dec. 16, at 1 p.m., Lyme Library teams up with the Lymes’ Senior Center Book Club to bring special guest Luanne Rice to their joint meeting.
The meeting will be held in the Lyme Public Library-Community Room.
The selected book for the month is “The Geometry of Sisters” by Luanne Rice and can be picked up at the Lyme Public Library circulation desk.
Rice will conduct a Q&A about her books and her writing techniques.
OLD LYME — This Friday, Dec. 2, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., the public is invited to join a group of “Members with Cameras” from the Lymes’ Senior Center when they host an Opening Reception for a show of their photographs.
The show will be held in Old Lyme’s Memorial Town Hall on Lyme St.
These folks have been learning techniques related to expanding and enhancing the use of phones as cameras from long-time photographer, exhibitor, and instructor Fred Verillo.
Choosing a subject and then improving it with photographic editing apps are just a few of the topics that have been covered in Verillo’s workshops.
All are welcome to the free reception. Refreshments will be served.
Old Lyme First Selectman Tim Griswold and his predecessor in that position Bonnie Reemsnyder join forces to cut the ribbon at Monday’s celebration of the completion of the Community Connectivity Grant project.
OLD LYME — Monday’s cold and blustery weather did not deter a hardy group of distinguished guests and local residents from turning out to celebrate the completion of the Town of Old Lyme (OL) and the Connecticut (CT) Department of Transportation (DOT) Community Connectivity Grant project.
Gathered at the new bus shelter in front of the Old Lyme Police Station on Rte.156, Mary Jo Nosal, who is both a former Old Lyme Selectwoman and Chairwoman of the Community Connectivity Grant Committee (CCGC), noted in her remarks at the event that the project was, “Designed to establish safe connectivity to the beach, businesses and residences for pedestrians and bicyclists, locals, and visitors.”
She pointed out that the multi-year project has successfully, “Culminated with this pocket park for the community and safe bus access for riders of the 9-Town Transit system.”
Old Lyme Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker proudly shows off the new bus shelter and park bench.
The CCGC began meeting in April 2019 and, in a notable display of loyalty, several of the original committee volunteers have continued to serve through the entire project. Nosal named those members as Bonnie Reemsnyder, Frank Pappalardo, Jim Lampos, and Erick Olsen and then thanked them wholeheartedly for, “Their time, commitment, vision, and support.”
Nosal, who has led the committee throughout its existence, is herself also one of its original appointees. In addition, Old Lyme First Selectman Tim Griswold has served as a longtime ex-officio member of the committee.
Listening to the remarks at the ceremony are, from left to right, Jim Lampos-Community Connectivity Grant Committee (CCGC) member, Old Lyme Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker, Frank Pappalardo-CCGC member and Sound View Commission Chair, Paul Orzel-Sound View Commission and Old Lyme Zoning Commission Chair.
In her remarks, Nosal explained that the Community Connectivity Grant was developed to aid small towns with streetscape improvement plans to provide safer access to their towns for bicyclists and pedestrians.
Noting that the grant program was competitive, she pointed out that it was designed by the state to allow for local control of the project and does not require matching funds from the Town.
Commenting that, “This is often a stumbling block for small towns to come up with these funds, she added, “RiverCOG (the Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments) was the first to see the value in this grant for the Town of Old Lyme,” and notified then Old Lyme First Selectwoman Reemsnyder accordingly.
In 2018, Reemsnyder and Pappalardo attended a meeting with the CT DOT on the new grant opportunity and subsequently applied for the grant.
In February 2019, Old Lyme was awarded up to $400,000 in construction grant funds, which was the maximum allotted at the time, and the Town thus became part of the freshman class for this program.
Gathered for this photo are Erik Olsen, CCGC, Craig Babowicz-CT DOT, Olsen’s sons, and Katie Klose-CT DOT and local resident
Nosal stated that, “Through community outreach including a web forum, bimonthly-monthly meetings, careful budgeting, and the generosity of the Town of Old Lyme, the project has now provided the following safety improvements and assets to Old Lyme:
> about 2300 ft. of new, standard 5 ft. ADA sidewalks so that people and baby carriages no longer have to walk along the street to reach the beach > new walkways and street signs > new curbing and mailboxes > new grass > bicycle-lane marking. > the new transportation hub and pocket park in what was previously an empty lot and eyesore.
Former Old Lyme First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder and Rob Haramut of RiverCOG celebrate the CCGC project’s completion.
She concluded by expressing the wish that, “These safety improvements to the Sound View Gateway,” help increase focus on the important economic benefits that result from, “Safe access to Sound View businesses and residences, to our gem of a beach, and to Sound View recreational opportunities.” Nosal stressed that these benefits should, in turn, increase the vitality of the Town of Old Lyme.
Mary Jo Nosal (right) gives remarks while, from left to right, Tim Griswold, Rob Newton, Rob Haramut, Bonnie Reemsnyder, Jim Lampos, Martha Shoemaker. Frank Pappalardo, Paul Orzel, and Erik Olsen listen attentively.
In her remarks, Nosal also thanked:
The State of CTDOT represented by Craig Babowicz, CTDOT Transportation Supervising Planner and Katie Klose of the DOT and Old Lyme resident.
Project Design Engineering Firm, BSC Group, represented by Kurt Prochorena and Rob Newton, PE
The construction firm of Martin-Laviero represented by owner Dan Levesque
Town of Old Lyme Commission Chairs and their members, who were present (Paul Orzel and Frank Pappalardo)
Old Lyme Town Hall staff
Old Lyme Town Attorney Michael Carey of Suisman Shapiro for work on numerous agreements and easements
The RiverCOG, the planning organization for the lower Connecticut River Valley, represented by Rob Haramut, Senior Transportation Manager
9-Town-Transit Executive Director Joe Comerford — 9-Town-Transit is the transit system for a segment of the Connecticut shore and valley, which provided the bus shelter
Old Lyme Public Works, especially Ed Adanti and his team, for their assistance. They installed the bus shelter and lovely park bench
Old Lyme Police Department for providing traffic control and use of their water to assist the new trees
Old Lyme Fire Marshal Dave Roberge for his help on providing watering assistance for the new sod
The Sound View homeowners and business owners for their input and support for the project.
Her husband Roger Nosal for their ‘date nights’ spent watering the new sod
The elected officials present at the ceremony: Tim Griswold (OL First Selectman) and Martha Shoemaker (OL Selectwoman) for their presence and support of Sound View
State Senator Paul Formica (R-20th) and State Representative Devin Carney.(R-23rd)
