Submitted by Dean Gamanos
Greenwich Veterans Are Deeply Concerned About Municipal Improvement (MI) Under Consideration for Arch St / Greenwich Ave.
Voting is taking place on item (#15) at the December RTM meeting on December 12. To date, the two leading Greenwich veterans organizations who are important stakeholders regarding this particular location ( both play a vital role in Town activities that take place there), have not been formally consulted about the proposed work.
The changes under consideration for this area in the heart of Greenwich include:
• Cutting back 4,500 square feet of park land by the Bolling Monument (WW I aviation hero)
• Reducing sidewalk widths below recommended parameters
• Removing an adjacent sidewalk safety slip on Arch Street
• Creating a hazardous turn lane in front of the former Post Office building
• Forming parking spaces in places that interfere with traffic flow, etc.
The area in front of the Board of Education building and in the vicinity by the intersection of Arch Street and Greenwich Avenue where construction is being considered has been frequently used over many years for Town gatherings and ceremonies during patriotic holidays like Veterans Day, Pearl Harbor Day and more.
It is also where statues and important historic monuments are located.
All residents of Greenwich should also be concerned about uncertain project costs including a required retaining wall and re-grading , relocation of underground utilities, the effects of inflation (none of these are included in current estimates) and much, much more (not to mention months and months of disruptive construction on our main thoroughfare)
THIS PROJECT NEEDS MUCH FURTHER CONSIDERATION AND INPUT FROM THE TOWN’S VETERANS!
Members of American Legion Post 29 and Byram Veterans Association (on Pearl Harbor Day)
