Historical News Archive

courant.com/news/local/fv/hc-simwood0907.artsep07,0,6794101.story Courant.com `A Win-Win For Everyone Involved' Event, Open To The Public, Is Scheduled To Celebrate Town's Purchase Of 330 Acres At Ethel Walker School By LORETTA WALDMAN Courant Staff Writer September 7, 2007 SIMSBURY A hilltop at Ethel Walker School will be the site of an event Sept. 23 celebrating the town's purchase of a 330-acre portion of school property known as the Ethel Walker Woods. Although the deal closed in June, the celebration will mark a fundraising effort that brought in the millions of dollars that were needed to make it happen. "We are absolutely thrilled that…

http://www.courant.com/news/local/fv/hc-simwood0327.artmar27,0,1157995.story Groups Meet Fundraising Goal Donations Pour In To Provide $2.7 Million Toward Purchase Of Ethel Walker Woods By LORETTA WALDMAN Courant Staff Writer March 27 2007 SIMSBURY --A frenzied final month of fundraising that included a mass mailing and a flurry of donations from residents of neighboring towns has helped two groups raise $2.7 million in private funding needed to purchase the Ethel Walker Woods. Melissa Spear is a project manager for one of the groups, the Trust for Public Land. Spear, who announced the official end to the campaign earlier in the day, told selectmen Monday night…

http://www.courant.com/news/local/fv/hc-5brf0306_2.artmar06,0,6025912.story eBay Benefit Auction March 6 2007 AREAWIDE ---- Keep The Woods, a Simsbury-based grass-roots group, is sponsoring an eBay auction in support of its effort to preserve Ethel Walker Woods, 424-acres of open space featuring trails and wildlife atop a drinking water aquifer. The group will pick up, photograph, list the item on eBay and ship it to the new owner. All handling costs will be covered by Keep The Woods and all proceeds from the auction will go toward the purchase of the land by the town. To donate an item or contact the group for more…

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-keepthewoods0226.artfeb25,0,2068666.story?page=1 Leading Town Into The Woods Activists Beating Odds In Simsbury Land Deal By LORETTA WALDMAN Courant Staff Writer February 25 2007 SIMSBURY --A wet snow is falling at dusk as a mismatched assortment of residents trickle into the Maple Tree Inn, and take their seats around a crooked line of tables in a banquet room next to the bar.They don't look particularly mighty, in their well-worn corduroy pants, rumpled sweaters, duck boots and clogs. Nor is it clear what they have in common: a retired real estate broker, retired Presbyterian minister, a registered dietitian, a college professor and…

http://www.courant.com/news/local/fv/hc-simland0201.artfeb01,0,2032906.story Strides In Fundraising For Land Deal By LORETTA WALDMAN Courant Staff Writer February 1 2007 SIMSBURY --Two conservation groups say they have raised more than half of the $2.75 million they pledged toward the purchase price for 424 acres of open space owned by and adjacent to Ethel Walker School. Roughly $60,000 of the $1.5 million raised was generated at a fundraiser held Saturday at Tower Ridge Country Club, at which both groups - the Trust for Public Land and Keep the Woods - were recognized for their efforts. The groups' fundraising is a key part of a…

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-talkback1113.artnov13,0,2476708.story November 13 2006 Government Can't Protect Water Supply I would like to lay to rest the fantasy that no matter what we do to our land, "the government" will protect our water. Such an erroneous viewpoint was expressed once again in a letter to The Courant ("Mailing on Project Was Misleading," Oct. 26). According to the Ground Water Report to Congress by the Ground Water Protection Council (available online), incidents of ground water contamination have occurred in every municipality in Connecticut due to sources such as industrial activities, underground storage tanks, landfills, salt storage facilities and road salt…

http://www.courant.com/news/local/fv/hc-simref1108.artnov08,0,1276391.story Voters OK Money For Open Space By MARK SPENCER Courant Staff Writer November 8 2006 SIMSBURY --Open space advocates succeeded Tuesday in their drive to preserve land owned by the Ethel Walker School by committing $7 million in town money for the first phase of a two-part deal.Several changes to the town charter also were approved in another ballot question.In a close vote, residents approved spending up to $7 million - $5 million from bonding and $2 million from town reserves - which will be used to purchase 330 acres of the 420-acre parcel. Although the fate of…

http://www.courant.com/news/local/ec/hc-land1103.artnov03,0,3151538.story More For Open Space November 3 2006On Thursday, the state Department of Environmental Protection awarded $6.9 million in open space grants to 23 cities and towns across Connecticut. The state has protected 480,553 acres since the program started in 1998. The state has a goal of protecting 673,210 acres or 21 percent of the state's land by 2023.Here's a sampling of what some of the latest grants will protect:East Windsor secured a $390,000 grant to preserve the 40.7-acre Trombley/Tschummi property off Rye Street in the southern part of town. The property extends west past existing town-owned open space,…

http://www.courant.com/news/local/fv/hc-simethel1103.artnov03,0,4138182.story Town To Vote On Land Purchase $7 Million Would Be Appropriated For About 330 Acres Owned By Ethel Walker School By DIANE STRUZZI Courant Staff Writer November 3 2006 SIMSBURY --Voters Tuesday will decide whether the town spends $7 million to acquire and preserve land owned by the Ethel Walker School. The proposal was approved for a referendum question by the boards of selectmen and finance and is supported by the grass-roots organization Keep the Woods. But after months of public discussion about the acquisition, some residents question why the town is paying so much for the land…

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…

http://www.courant.com/news/local/fv/hc-5brf0919_1.artsep19,0,1035995.story Donations To Help Preserve Land September 19 2006 SIMSBURY - -- The Farmington River Watershed Association is collecting donations from businesses to use toward the acquisition of property owned by the Ethel Walker School. The fundraising effort is continuing until the end of the year under the Connecticut Neighborhood Assistance Act tax credit program, but the paperwork must be filed with the state by Oct. 2. The total price of the acreage is $13.85 million with the town payment proposal structured over time. The issue goes before Simsbury voters in November. A Connecticut business that makes a cash…

http://www.courant.com/news/local/fv/hc-simland0907.artsep07,0,2875718.story Meeting Set On Land Purchase Town Considers Buying 420 Acres By DIANE STRUZZI And MARK SPENCER Courant Staff Writers September 7 2006A special town meeting to consider the town's acquisition of 420 acres owned by the Ethel Walker School has been set for 7 p.m. Oct. 17 at the Simsbury High School auditorium.The board of selectmen voted unanimously Tuesday to set the time and date and approved the question about the land acquisition that will go to voters in November.Town officials have approved a financing proposal for the land acquisition, which would be spread over several years.The proposal…

http://www.courant.com/news/local/fv/hc-simland0902.artsep02,0,7271221.story Public Meeting In Works On Land Plan Funding Sought For Preservation Of 420 Acres Owned By School By DIANE STRUZZI Courant Staff Writer September 2 2006 SIMSBURY --On Tuesday, the board of selectmen is expected to schedule a public meeting to discuss the acquisition of 420 acres owned by the Ethel Walker School and approve the ballot question for the November election.Tuesday's meeting will be held at 6 p.m. in the youth room, on the lower-level of Eno Memorial Hall on Hopmeadow Street. The board of selectmen is considering 7 p.m. Oct. 17, at Simsbury High School, as…

http://www.courant.com/news/local/fv/hc-simland0901.artsep01,0,6550323.story Board Backs Ethel Walker Land Deal By DIANE STRUZZI Courant Staff Writer September 1 2006 SIMSBURY --In a turnaround from two weeks ago, the board of finance Thursday night approved a financing proposal to acquire 420 acres owned by the Ethel Walker School, a move that will allow voters to decide the issue in November.The proposal calls for the acquisition and financing to be spread over several years and was approved by the board of selectmen earlier this week. The finance board made one small change, choosing to finance the first part of the deal through a mix…