Group Polls Town On Fairfield Hills Preferences

By Steve Bigham

The local group known as “Save Fairfield Hills for Newtown” will be polling the community in the coming weeks. Its goals: First, determine whether or not citizens believe the town should buy the 186-acre campus from the state; and second, find out what they would like to see the property used for.

Organizers hope the information they obtain will be help town officials in their efforts to assess what Newtown residents are thinking since it will be the citizens who will be casting the final vote.

“We hope to speak to a few hundred people. We have about 50 or 60 callers,” noted coordinator and Newtown resident Mary Ann Currie. “We hope that what will come out of this is that Fairfield Hills will be put to the use that most people want. We hope this information will help the people who make the decisions.”

Pollsters are expected to begin making phone calls this weekend. Most calls will be made in the early evening and will last no more than five minutes. Citizens can also indicate the preference for Fairfield Hills uses by filling out the form in this week’s Bee on page A8.

Residents will be asked to prioritize the following uses:

Municipal needs such as recreation/playing fields (including the gym at Plymouth Hall).

Moderately priced housing for senior citizens/empty nesters (age 55 and above).

Town offices (in lieu of adding on to Edmond Town Hall and renovating Town Hall South).

A 5/6 school, or land/building for a future school.

Open Space.

Economic development; business and professional offices, start-up companies.

Combination of most of the above.

Organizers say the results will be in by early February. And just how scientific is this poll?

“I’m not a pollster, but we’re going to reach as many people as we can,” Mrs Currie noted.

Newtown is currently on a deadline since the state gave it 45 days to express interest in the purchase of Fairfield Hills, and an additional 60 days to negotiate a price.

“One lady I asked to make calls said, ‘Sure, if we don’t [buy this], it will be like giving away the hen that laid the golden egg,’” Mrs Currie recalled. “Now it’s time to put up or shut up.”

“Save Fairfield Hills for Newtown” was formed last summer to provide information to residents about the importance of a town purchase of Fairfield Hills. Members of the group, headed by Ruby Johnson, believe Fairfield Hills holds the key to many of the growth problems Newtown will face in the coming years. It offers both buildings and land for schools, municipal office space, and commercial office space – three items in short supply in Newtown.

The citizens’ group fears private development could overwhelm the area with housing. Its biggest fear, however, is that Fairfield Hills will go down in history as a lost opportunity for Newtown.

Currently, there is a $20.8 million proposal to build a 23,000-square-foot addition to Edmond Town Hall, renovate the police department and rebuild Hook & Ladder firehouse. The town, members of the group say, could save money by taking advantage of the facilities in existence at Fairfield Hills.