City officials thank DPW for work on Museum District

City officials standing with DPW employees, after visiting the Museum District to observe the work DPW has done in the area, and thank them for their efforts. (Photo by Sarah Genter)

NORWICH — The City of Norwich Common Council and Mayor Shawn Sastri visited the Museum District yesterday to thank Department of Public Works (DPW) employees for their hard work in helping to improve the area.

"I was speaking with Scott Grover, the Highway Foreman … he asked that I come down and take a look. And I said, you know, if I'm coming then we all should go," said Alderman Matthew Caldwell, who organized the council's visit. "The whole intent of us being there was to recognize the employees. And see the work they did, but to really recognize their effort and hard work."

The Friends of the Museum District Co-Chair Eric Larsen approached city officials to ask for assistance in their revamping efforts earlier this year, according to Caldwell. The city offered to contribute approximately $25,000 worth of in-kind labor from DPW.

"All we contributed was in-kind services in the form of labor from the DPW crew. Back in the spring, Eric Larsen from Friends of the Museum District came and asked if we would be willing to help in any way, and we authorized up to, I believe it was $25,000 in in-kind services, to provide the labor. And the Museum District's doing everything else, they bought all the material," explained Caldwell.

DPW Foreman Scott Grover said DPW has put in around 130 yards of concrete sidewalks in the Museum District, in addition to their regularly scheduled jobs.

"We did nine sidewalks of our own, in between when they'd say you can't work over here for two or three days, cause they had to take trees down," said Grover. "So we'd go form up one and pour one of our own in between. Plus, you know, fixing the sewers, and repairs, and we did the park over here, we put the playground equipment in there in between."

Caldwell commended the efforts put in by DPW, recognizing the extra work they've had to squeeze into their schedule to assist in the project.

"Our DPW Superintendent and crews did not have this on their schedule this year. When the help was asked for, we just took the action to provide it, didn't ask any questions. And so they have worked extremely hard to do this huge project, in addition to everything else they do over the summer. So they've done exceptional work," he said. "I can't say enough good about the work they've done here. They just have done an outstanding job."

Pegi LoPresti, Co-Chair of Friends of the Museum District, said the sidewalks are just the first step in the litany of improvements being made on the area.

"This is the first phase of our project here, so more improvements will be happening throughout the remainder of the year and into next year as well," said LoPresti. "The amenities include really the decorative lighting, the trees, streetscape amenities, maybe some benches. You know, hopefully some flowers at some point. I mean, just everything to tie in this district with the rest of the downtown area. That's the whole goal here."

"We're just so appreciative of the collaborative efforts between the Museum District and the City of Norwich. It's coming together great, and we just can't wait until it's all completed and we all get to enjoy the benefits of it," she added.

The overall goal of these projects is to create a cohesive, identifiable area, as well as connect the Museum District to the rest of downtown Norwich.

"This route is a gateway into the City of Norwich," said Caldwell. "There's a lot of growth and tourism potential here, and the idea was to carry the downtown, the whole kind of flow, right up through the street. And then so when people are coming into the city this way, kind of carry them right downtown as well."

"It's just a great improvement for this side of the city, and going into the downtown area," he added. "We're very supportive of the project. It looks fantastic, they've done just fabulous work."

Comments

There are 3 comments for this article

  1. Steven Jobs July 4, 2017 7:25 am

    dived wound factual legitimately delightful goodness fit rat some lopsidedly far when.

    • Jim Calist July 16, 2017 1:29 am

      Slung alongside jeepers hypnotic legitimately some iguana this agreeably triumphant pointedly far

  2. Steven Jobs July 4, 2017 7:25 am

    jeepers unscrupulous anteater attentive noiseless put less greyhound prior stiff ferret unbearably cracked oh.

  3. Steven Jobs May 10, 2018 2:41 am

    So sparing more goose caribou wailed went conveniently burned the the the and that save that adroit gosh and sparing armadillo grew some overtook that magnificently that

  4. Steven Jobs May 10, 2018 2:42 am

    Circuitous gull and messily squirrel on that banally assenting nobly some much rakishly goodness that the darn abject hello left because unaccountably spluttered unlike a aurally since contritely thanks

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.