Submitted by Liz Eckert, Byram
Dear Members of the Hamill Rink Task Force,
I am writing to respectfully urge the Task Force not to put forward a plan that would destroy the “Open Space” of Morlot Park.
I want to begin by acknowledging and sincerely thanking each of you for the time, effort, and dedication you have given to this process. I previously served on the Rink Committee myself, and I know firsthand how much work goes into examining an issue of this magnitude.
I left the committee not out of lack of commitment, but because, as a family member of a Veteran killed in action in service to our country and our community, I realized I could not remain unbiased in my opinion.
I am writing this letter not in my role as Chair of the Byram Neighborhood Association, but as a family member of a Gold Star Mother.
On her deathbed, Jennie Repaci asked me to make two promises: that she would be laid to rest beside her son in St. Mary’s Cemetery, and that I would carry forward the memory of her son, Donnie, and the sacrifice he made for our country, ensuring it is honored and preserved for future generations.
Donnie’s Tree was the final tree planted in the Veterans Memorial Grove at Morlot Park. It is a deeply sacred place—not only to my family, but to all who understand the solemn purpose of that grove. It represents sacrifice, remembrance, and peace.
The serenity surrounding the Veterans Memorial Grove matters. It pains me to hear discussions that place greater concern on missing a season of ice time than on preserving the peace and dignity of this memorial space.
It pains me to consider a 40,000-square-foot structure placed just feet from housing dedicated exclusively to senior citizens and individuals with disabilities.
And it pains me deeply that one of the last true open spaces in the Byram community could be lost to a massive structure in its center.
I want to be very clear: I am no stranger to hockey. I taught my son to skate at DHSR. He played for the Greenwich Blues, Mid-Fairfield Travel, and later Fairfield Prep Hockey. I drove him almost daily to Bridgeport’s Wonderland of Ice at 5:00 a.m. for practices. I understand the sport, the culture, and the demands. And one thing I know for certain is this: hockey is about commitment, not convenience.
During my tenure on the Rink Committee, when I was told that dozens of rinks had been contacted and no ice time was available, I made one phone call—to the rink manager at Twin Rinks. I explained Greenwich’s dilemma. His response was simple and powerful: “Liz, do you think Greenwich is the first town with a rink issue? Hockey families are a community. We help each other, and we will find the ice time you need.” That truth has stayed with me.
I ask the Task Force to consider whether the permanent loss of irreplaceable open space, the disruption of a Veterans Memorial Grove, and the impact on a vulnerable residential community are costs too high to pay—especially when solutions rooted in cooperation, creativity, and shared sacrifice have always been part of the Greenwich community’s way forward.
Please do not put forward a plan that would forever alter Morlot Park and the sacred space it holds. Some places are meant to be protected, not repurposed.
Thank you for your service, your consideration, and for hearing my perspective.
Respectfully, Liz Eckert
Letter submitted from her point of view as resident of Byram, not in her official capacity as Chair of the Byram Neighborhood Association
