A Less Friendly Environment

At Fairfield Hills

To the Editor:

Since we moved to Newtown five years ago, my only source of community has come from chatting with fellow dog-walkers at Fairfield Hills for our morning walks. For years, my dog and I have enjoyed the extremely friendly security guard — an older fellow — who always drove slowly and carefully, waved at us, or paused to say a quick hello, warn us about coyote sightings, and give Midnight (my dog) a cookie. He made us feel safe, cared about, and a part of Newtown.

This weekend, a fellow dog-walker told me that since Newtown took over Fairfield Hills, the guard was told that he should stop talking to us or giving out cookies. His response was, “I live here. These are my neighbors. How can I stop talking to them?” His boss held strong and he quit. We all miss him.

He has now been replaced by guards who drive up that back private road so fast that it scares me. Last weekend I found one “resting” behind the public water area. Is this an improvement? I don’t think so. With all of the unfriendly signs posted, the housing development, the constant building of new homes, and increase in traffic in general, I am sad to see that Newtown is slowly creating the same environment I left New York City to get away from.

Julie Lyonn Lieberman

37 Parmalee Hill Road, Newtown                         February 14, 2005