
Conceptual design plans for two new parks were detailed by Jane Didona of Didona Associates at the regular meeting of the Amenia Recreation Commission Tuesday, Feb. 27.
Leila Hawken
Conceptual design plans for two new parks were detailed by Jane Didona of Didona Associates at the regular meeting of the Amenia Recreation Commission Tuesday, Feb. 27.
AMENIA — About 10 residents attended the regular meeting of the Recreation Commission Tuesday, Feb. 27, to hear details of conceptual plans for recreational enhancement through the phased development of two town parks.
Landscape architect Jane Didona of Didona Associates in Danbury, who has been working with the commission for more than a year, presented conceptual design plans for the dual projects, expected to be mulltiphased over several years of development. One project, Amenia Green, would improve the town-owned land adjacent to the Town Hall, and the other, Wassaic Park, would develop acreage abutting Wassaic Brook and the Rail Trail and include a new playground adjacent to Gridley Chapel.
Questions from residents mainly sought clarification with some concern expressed about future cost, although all comments were favorable toward the plans.
“Play is an important aspect of everyone’s life and the life of their community,” Didona said, introducing the plans. Adequate data-based planning avoids fragmentation, she noted.
Wassaic Park, Didona said, holds about 9 landlocked acres, with the area south of the brook considered to be a floodplain and therefore unsuitable for a suggested dog run. More recent drawings have moved the half-acre dog run to another location within the park.
Speaking of dog runs, Didona said, breeds need to be kept separated according to their temperaments and they need to be at least 350 feet from any residence.
Also requiring separation according to age group is the playground area anticipated for the land adjacent to Gridley Chapel. Toddlers and young children need to have playground equipment that stands apart from equipment used by older children.
Planning has been done in cooperation with officials from the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) who have visited the site and made recommendations to assist with meeting regulations and eventually submitting grant applications.
Included in the planning is a recreational sports field that can be used for a variety of sports. A pump track and skate park were moved within the planning to a different location within the park to offer access from the Rail Trail and accommodate inclusion of a walking trail around its perimeter.
The land area to be converted to Wassaic Park and the Gridley Chapel yard is largely owned by the Wassaic Project. The owners have indicated that the pump track area would be developed by the Wassaic Project and the land leased to the town for $1 a year. The town would assume responsibility for insurance.
An existing small pond at the site could be used for winter skating, surrounded by a short walking trail, Didona said.
“We have to keep the brook cool because it is stocked with trout,” Didona explained while outlining the group of improvements to facilitate fishing within the park, including the construction of a fishing platform, accessibility for people with disabilities, and other improvements. The DEC has offered to assist with construction of the fishing access features.
Expert in landscaping, Didona described the presence of large amounts of invasive plants on the site, noting that grant funding is readily available if planning includes environmentally desirable plantings and features.
Recreation Commission secretary Peter McCaffrey noted that this planning for both park areas is akin to a master plan, a multiphase, multiyear effort.
Review of the plans at the Tuesday meeting, Didona explained, had focused more on Wassaic Park because plans for Amenia Green had already been accepted by the town in June 2023. Responding to a resident’s request at the end of the meeting, however, Didona reviewed the plans for Amenia Green, noting the planning phases are nearing completion for that project.
The Amenia Green plans envision correction of the existing drainage issues, expanded parking opportunities, a walking trail around the perimeter of the green area, a pavilion to offer concerts, and a splash pool for the playground area with sheltered seating for adults.
Details of the drainage plans involve new technology including underdrains combined with newly developed drainage fabric to allow water to seep away, an alternative to clay pipes. The system also uses a gravel layer, but Didona explained that soil testing will determine the volume of the gravel layer.
“There will be more places for water to go and to be absorbed gradually,” Didona said.
Speaking of the phased program, Didona said that the town’s Recreation Commission needs to “build momentum” toward the next steps in the phased program of recreational park enhancement.
Commenting after the meeting when asked about the next step, McCaffery replied that the Recreation Commission will study the plan and focus on what is needed for the first phase, including surveying and mapping of wetlands and floodplain, and assessing impact on endangered species in the area, notably salamander and bog turtles. The next steps will also call for the creation of formalized design drawings by an engineer, in advance of receiving cost estimates for construction.
To view images of the park plans, go to www.ameniany.gov
Participating students and teachers gathered for the traditional photo at the 2025 Troutbeck Symposium on Thursday, May 1.
Students and educators from throughout the region converged at Troutbeck in Amenia for a three-day conference to present historical research projects undertaken collaboratively by students with a common focus on original research into their chosen topics. Area independent schools and public schools participated in the conference that extended from Wednesday, April 30 to Friday, May 2.
The symposium continues the Troutbeck legacy as a decades-old gathering place for pioneers in social justice and reform. Today it is a destination luxury country inn, but Troutbeck remains conscious of its significant place in history.
A showing of student artworks within the theme of linking the past with the present opened the symposium on Wednesday evening. Each work of art had to draw on historical research to foster an informed dialogue between the artist and the contemporary audience.
The second day was devoted to student research presentations, showcasing teams from the region’s leading public and private schools with strong programs aimed at cultivating engaged young historians. Primary source materials and live interviews with descendants were included in the process.
Topics were divided into blocks with guest commentators providing reactive response as each block of student presentations concluded. Serving as commentators were Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Ohio State University, and Dr. Christine Proenza-Coles, University of Virginia.
Resistance in the face of oppression and stories of resilience that spanned generations formed an important theme as students presented the stories of area settlers and residents who suffered but endured.
As a sampling, The Taconic School teamed up with The Salisbury School to unearth untold stories of Boston Corners. The Hotchkiss School looked into the activities of the Ku Klux Klan in Connecticut. The Cornwall Consolidated School students stepped up with their untold stories of early Cornwall women.
Other presentations explored criminal justice — witchcraft trials — dealing with society’s “undesirable” elements, individuals in history who took action, people and movements that formed resistance, and various forms of discrimination.
Praising the work of the students, Dr. Jeffries identified a theme of resistance and survival.
“The war ended but the resistance did not,” Jeffries said. “We don’t take indigenous people seriously,” he added. “White supremacy happened in our own back yards.”
“We saw the evolution of research,” said a Cornwall Consolidated School representative. That project moved into civic engagement by the students that moved beyond the classroom.
“This is not the past; this is part of the present,” said Dr. Proenza-Coles.
A panel discussion among educators whose students had participated in the 2025 Troutbeck Symposium was held on Friday, May 2, to offer reflections on the symposium, its value and future development. Panelists from left to right were Jessica Jenkins, Litchfield Historical Society;Wunneanatsu Lamb-Cason, Brown University; Morgan Bengal, Old New-Gate Prison; Frank Mitchell, Connecticut Humanities; and student representatives Dominik Valcin of Salisbury School, and Shanaya Duprey of Housatonic Valley Regional High School. Leila Hawken
The third day invited area history educators to assemble and share ideas for redesigning elements of history education, a day of reflection.
The panel included Jessica Jenkins, Litchfield Historical Society; Wunneanatsu Lamb-Cason, Brown University; Morgan Bengal, Old New-Gate Prison; Frank Mitchell, Connecticut Humanities; and student representatives Dominik Valcin of Salisbury School, and Shanaya Duprey of Housatonic Valley Regional High School.
Valcin reflected on his work as a shared project within The Salisbury School, one where the inquiry would seek to find “the deeper story behind a base story.”
Duprey also spoke of process and the educational value of engaging with historical inquiry.
Each representing a profession that brings them into contact with historical inquiry, the panelists recounted tedious history classes of past decades. Jenkins described her own career as “public history.”Lamb-Canon’s experience began with choosing history electives in college. Bengal spoke of community engagement and the power of involvement with history.
“History is not the opposite of scientific inquiry,” said Bengal.
Significant discussion centered on the possibility of offering the Troutbeck Symposium model to a wider audience of school systems throughout the U.S.
“A community approach to education,” was a characterization offered by Troutbeck owner Charlie Champalimaud, commenting during a brief interview at the end of the symposium on Friday, May 2. She encouraged a push toward increasing even more the number of participating schools, their educational communities and symposium sponsors.
Terence S. Miller, owner of Roaring Oaks Florist in the new self-serve area of the shop.
Just in time for Mother’s Day, Roaring Oaks Florist in Lakeville has launched a new self-serve flower station next to its Main Street shop, offering high-quality, grab-and-go bouquets from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week — including Sundays when the main store is closed.
Owner Terence S. Miller, who bought the shop 24 years ago at just 20 years old, calls the new feature “a modern twist on an old-school honor system,” with some high-tech updates.
“We’re still using our same high-end flowers, just with less markup and no labor,” said Miller. “That way people can access our quality anytime, even if we’re closed.”
Tucked beside the shop’s main entrance at 349A Main Street next to The Boathouse, the self-serve area is partitioned and monitored by security cameras. A simple touchscreen checkout system lets customers pay with a credit card — no cash accepted — and includes photo prompts to make selection easy. Vases, ribbons, flower food, and care instructions are all stocked and labeled.
“We’ve tried to think of everything people might need,” said Miller. “It’s all about making great flowers more accessible without losing what makes Roaring Oaks special.”
Miller said the idea came from years of watching customers try to squeeze in a visit before or after hours. “We’re open 8 hours a day, but we’re here for almost 10, and it still isn’t enough. People are always showing up after we close,” he said. “This way we can be ‘open’ more hours without adding staff.”
Though he considered making the space available 24/7, Miller ultimately decided against it. “We didn’t want to encourage late-night tampering,” he said, noting the shop’s proximity to local bars and restaurants.
Miller’s journey into flowers was unexpected. As soon as he could get his farming papers at 12 years old, he started working at Silamar Farm in Millerton. Alongside its produce, Silamar’s was one of the first farm stands in the area to sell fresh cut flowers.Miller began growing and bundling cut flowers for city-bound customers. “By 16 I needed a year-round job, so I applied to every florist around. I just had a knack for it,” he said. After a stint in Rhinebeck, he returned and bought Roaring Oaks from its previous owner.
In the decades since, he’s built a reputation for quality and creativity. The shop’s flowers are sourced from around the world, particularly Canada and South America, though Miller is committed to supporting local growers wherever possible, especially for summer offerings and weddings.
“We’re hoping to feature some smaller farms in the self-serve section this summer,” said Miller. “DIY weddings have taken off, and people don’t always realize the benefits of buying local. Cold chain is everything. The flowers we source come straight from the airport to the wholesaler and right up here. That’s how we keep them fresh.”
Roaring Oaks also offers consultations and bulk flower discounts for events and weddings, a service Miller hopes more customers will discover through the new self-serve setup.
After 50 years in business, and nearly a decade at its current Lakeville location, Roaring Oaks continues to evolve. “This September marks my 25th year,” said Miller. “I’m always looking for ways to make people happy. Flowers should be simple, joyful, and accessible. That’s what this is all about.”
For more information or to plan your Mother’s Day bouquet, visit Roaring Oaks Florist at 349A Main Street, Lakeville.
A string quartet opened the Bard Conservatory of Music program for Region One third grade students at Music Mountain.
Region One third grade students attended a chamber music concert by Bard Conservatory of Music students at Music Mountain Tuesday, April 29.
After expending spare energy racing around the Music Mountain lawn, the children trooped into the concert hall and took their seats.
After a brief introduction from Bard’s Mira Wang, the first item on the program was a string quartet, playing a piece by Haydn.
The students also heard a solo rendition of medieval songs played on the alto trombone, an unusual instrument.
The annual third grade concert is a tradition that stretches back decades at Music Mountain. It’s a treat for the children, and for the music students, who get to experience the incredible acoustics of the Music Mountain concert hall.
Two flutists performed later in the show.Patrick L. Sullivan