Two Gifts Proposed for New Civic Center in Old Greenwich

Two gifts have recently been offered to the town, relating to the soon to open Cohen Eastern Greenwich Civic Center on Harding Road.

The offers of gifts was announced by First Selectman Fred Camillo last week, starting with a gift from Scott and Icy Frantz toward a gymnasium.

On Friday during his Ask the First radio show, Camillo said  “We’re looking now at the first week of April,” Camillo said about the tentative opening of the civic center.

“Scott and I Frantz reached out and they’re going to give a significant contribution to us for the gym there. Looks like there’s two gyms. One we’re calling the activities room. That’s still unnamed. But the gymnasium is going to be the ‘Frantz Gymnasium.'”

Camillo noted the Frantzes had been very generous to the town over the years.

“It’s never ending. They’re always doing something for us. We want to honor them and thank them for doing this,” he said.

In his March 14 Community Connections from Fred newsletter, Camillo said, “They have given us a generous gift for the new Cohen Eastern Greenwich Civic Center that will go toward the gymnasium in the building.”

“As a result, it will be called ‘the Frantz Gymnasium,’ so thank you to Scott and Icy for once again showing your commitment and love for our Town. Their donation to the Town of Greenwich and the Parks and Recreation Foundation will help make the Cohen Eastern Greenwich Civic Center the magnificent new facility that the community deserves.”

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“We also have another donation coming there which I have not made public yet, but I will now:  a flagpole that is going to be lit up in the front. That’s the Red Men’s Association. I want to thank Dave D’Andrea for leading the effort there,” Camillo said. “That’s going to be beautiful.”

In Greenwich, of course, gifts over $5,000 require approval from the Representative Town Meeting.

On Friday, RTM moderator Alexis Voulgaris said she had not previously heard about the two gifts, and noted that the RTM would need to approve or reject the acceptance of the gifts for the gymnasium and flagpole.

In an email, Camillo said, “It’s just the beginning because they are going to have to be approved by the RTM. As you may remember, my administration came up with the naming rights policy and certainly will adhere to it.”

He confirmed the flagpole give would be more than $5,000 and will also have to be approved.

The town’s Naming Rights policy can be found here.