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Public Meeting Set On Decorative Lights For Sandy Hook

A public meeting on decorative lighting for the center of Sandy Hook will be

held on Wednesday, September 29, from 5 to 7 pm, at the multipurpose center,

14 Riverside Road in Sandy Hook.

The public workshop is sponsored by the Newtown Community Development Office

and the Economic Development Commission in conjunction with the Sandy Hook

Organization for Prosperity (SHOP).

Guest speakers from Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) will discuss the

utility's recently introduced Decorative Lighting Program and provide

suggestions for choosing the proper lighting for the business center.

"Sandy Hook business center has undergone several positive changes over the

past several years and things have really picked up momentum over the summer

months," said Community Development Director Elizabeth Stocker. "New property

owners and businesses are helping to revitalize the historic neighborhood

business center, which is starting to attract residents to the area."

Ms Stocker said the opening of the antiques shop in the restored fabric fire

hose mill on the Pootatuck River, the construction of the new Villa restaurant

on Riverside Road, and the rehabilitation of the old steel bridge for biking

and hiking along the river in Rocky Glen State Park began a series of

improvements which have led to historic restoration of buildings along Church

Hill Road and Glen Road.

The lighting workshop is the first of a series of public workshops that are

planned over the coming months.

"The goal is to come up with a plan that can serve as a practical working

document to guide the future design of Sandy Hook," Ms Stocker said.

The workshops are intended to create a comprehensive approach to streetscape

design for a successful development of Sandy Hook Center.

"The workshops will provide property owners, business tenants, and residents

an opportunity to discuss and make recommendations for the various public

improvements that are needed in the Sandy Hook business center," Ms Stocker

said.

Future workshops will focus on sidewalks, curbing and driveway materials,

benches, trash cans and flower containers, traffic and pedestrian improvements

and landscape enhancements. Signs, architectural elements, and historic

preservation also will be discussed at future workshops.