Bridgeport Hall — A Community Center For Newtown

To the Editor:

I’m finding it difficult to understand how decisions are made in this town. I refer to the selectman’s plan for the use of Bridgeport Hall at Fairfield Hills. The plan now is to convert Bridgeport Hall into a new town hall building. The $20 million bond issue provided $6 million to renovate Shelton to serve as the new site for the town hall, not Bridgeport Hall.

According to the Fairfield Hills Master Plan, Bridgeport Hall, 40,000 square feet, the former central dining hall built in the shape of a huge H, is “in excellent condition…and [is] one of the finest buildings on the campus.” Furthermore, because of its unique configuration the interior of Bridgeport Hall could easily be renovated in stages, beginning with the southern wing and perhaps crossbar, and then proceeding to the remaining northern wing of the building as firm plans are made for its use.

The approximately 14,000-square-foot southern wing of the building offers extensive open areas, natural light, handicapped access, and composite flooring, features that have contributed greatly to the fundraising success of the annual Labor Day Book Sale. Possible additional revenue-producing uses for that space are: art shows, craft fairs, trade shows, science fairs, Lions Club Pootatuck Duck Race vendors, yoga, square dancing, dances, wedding receptions, indoor ice skating, other sports, and more. If the dining facility were updated, it could entertain food services for the Senior Center, Newtown Youth services, child day care, community health clinic, parents and players after ballgames, etc.

Bridgeport Hall needs to be renovated and used as a community center for Newtown.

To date, an architect has been hired by the Fairfield Hills Authority. Two schemes have been presented to the authority. Both plans call for an addition to the building. Plan A locates the addition across the north side of the building with an east-west direction. Plan B places the addition at the rear of the building in a north-south orientation. It is my hope that The Bee will publish the architect’s plan for all Newtown citizens to view.

According to the April 14 article in The Bee, there are plans to see some or all of Newtown’s municipal offices move to Bridgeport Hall. The article continues to say the Fairfield Hills Authority is now assessing renovation plans and costs while deciding which departments will be relocated.

I think the municipal departments need to be kept at Edmond Town Hall and additional space found in Newtown or Woodbury Hall at FFH. We need to keep Bridgeport Hall for Newtown’s community center!

Linda E. Dunn

26 Old Bethel Road, Newtown                                   April 25, 2006