Monthly Archives: October 2006

Simsbury Post Commentary October 20, 2006 Reader urges public to think with their heads, vote with their hearst regarding EWS property I applaud anyone who is seeking the facts with regard to the proposed purchase of the 424-acre Ethel Walker Property. $11.1 million dollars for a piece of real estate in the western part of Town is an investment neither the town nor her citizens should take lightly. However, a recent letter to the editor made some misleading points while advocating for NOT preserving this beautiful piece of land. I would like to try and shed some additional light…

http://www.courant.com/news/local/fv/hc-simethel1018.artoct18,0,4596932.story Voters OK Money For Open Space By DIANE STRUZZI Courant Staff Writer October 18 2006 SIMSBURY --Voters Tuesday night overwhelmingly approved setting aside $1 million from town reserves to put toward the preservation of 427 acres at the Ethel Walker School.More than 300 attended the meeting at Simsbury High School to hear town officials discuss the proposal to acquire the property from the school. Residents also voiced their opinions on buying the land, which is west of Bushy Hill Road. Some opposed it, saying it would increase the tax burden. They asked town officials to do more research."How…

http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/letters/hc-lets1016.artoct16,0,226811.story October 16 2006Don't Develop Ethel Walker Land If we continue to develop beautiful, environmentally sensitive land, what will we leave for our children? I'm concerned about future generations having no place to go, to enjoy nature, to get away. Simsbury does not have a dilemma, it has an opportunity it should seize. The Ethel Walker School land needs to be preserved. I grew up in Hartford. Even when I was a child, going to Simsbury was a special treat. We would visit and drive around whenever my uncle (the only family member who had a car) would take…

http://www.courant.com/news/local/fv/hc-simland1005.artoct05,0,2159409.story $500,000 For Land Trust Donation To Help Buy 400 Acres By DIANE STRUZZI Courant Staff Writer October 5 2006 SIMSBURY --A national nonprofit conservation organization working to preserve more than 400 acres owned by the Ethel Walker School said a town couple has donated $500,000 toward the effort.The Trust for Public Land announced Wednesday that it was told about the pledge a couple weeks ago. The couple wishes to remain anonymous, said Melissa Spear, project manager at the trust."We're very excited," Spear said. "We are well on our way, but we have a long way to go." The…

October 9, 2006 Not All Laws Reflect Data The excellent article on the Simsbury aquifer by Susan Brachwitz and Mark Silverman [Place, Oct. 1, "Simsbury Dilemma: The Water Beneath"] makes a subtle point that begs elaboration. If scientific data showed that something is really harmful to our environment, wouldn't there be a law against it? No, our laws wouldn't necessarily take care of any pollution threat to the source water for 73 percent of Simsbury if the Ethel Walker land were developed. As Brachwitz and Silverman point out, it depends on who owns the land, and the legal aspects…

http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/commentary/hc-plcsimsbury1001.artoct01,0,7094356.story Simsbury Dilemma: The Water Beneath By SUSAN B. BRACHWITZ and MARK P. SILVERMAN October 1 2006Simsbury residents are struggling with a difficult issue - whether to allow a housing development over the main town aquifer or to preserve the land, the Ethel Walker Woods, in its natural state. The second choice may seem expensive, for the town's share of the purchase may be as much as $11.1 million - although this amount would probably be lowered by outside grants.Nevertheless, the true cost of allowing the land to be developed will be far greater in the long run because…