Hartford's Way Forward: Blue, Green and Walkable

Hartford’s status as one of the nation’s most promising triple-threat cities of the 21st century will be on full display in the coming months.  EnvisionFest in September and Riverfront Recapture’s annual Big Mo’ Block Party in  October will celebrate  a city where (1) America’s first National Blueway meets the (2) Greenway of one of the nation’s (3) most walkable cities. First National Blueway

This spring, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar established a National Blueways System and announced that the 410-mile-long Connecticut River and its 7.2 million-acre watershed will be the first National Blueway— covering areas of Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut.  In ceremonies at Riverside Park in Hartford, Salazar said that partnerships along the Connecticut River provide an example for the rest of the nation.

"The Connecticut River Watershed is a model for how communities can integrate their land and water stewardship efforts with an emphasis on 'source-to-sea' watershed conservation," he said. "I am pleased to recognize the Connecticut River and its watershed with the first National Blueway designation as we seek to fulfill President Obama's vision for healthy and accessible rivers that are the lifeblood of our communities and power our economies."

The new National Blueways System is part of the America's Great Outdoors Initiative to establish a community-driven conservation and recreation agenda for the 21st century. Establishment of a National Blueways System will help coordinate federal, state, and local partners to promote best practices, share information and resources, and encourage active and collaborative stewardship of rivers and their watersheds across the country.

Walkable City

Earlier this year, Prevention magazine rated Hartford as the #13 most walkable city in the nation, stating that “Car-free recreation is one of the city's selling points—and proof that it's taken full advantage of state funding for safer, better pedestrian access. From wide promenades to intersections that take pedestrians out of the periphery and into easy view, Hartford is more walker-friendly than ever.”

The designation also noted that walkers can “Hop between attractions like the Riverfront and the Arts and Entertainment District, as well as the city's abundant parks—and know that you're never going to ‘run out’ of sidewalk, or safe places to cross.”

First EnvisionFest is September 29

Those features will be on prominent display on September29 during EnvisionFest, Hartford’s newest celebratory event that is being designed to showcase and celebrate the ingenuity of the city’s and state’s industries, artists and people, providing a glimpse of the city’s future by encouraging people to experience the recently developed iQuilt Plan through walking, culture and innovation.

Hartford cultural institutions, Connecticut industries and artists will celebrate their vision of the future through interactive displays, exhibits, performances and activities in open houses and public spaces throughout downtown, all connected through walking and biking routes.

iQuilt Greenway

The iQuilt vision will be displayed on September 29 along the GreenWalk, along with sidewalk activities and prototypes of seating, lighting and signage. Walking throughout downtown will bring you to various Hartford destinations connected with food, drink, music, artists and activities.

Downtown Hartford is an unusually compact historic district packed with more than 45 cultural assets and destinations within a 15-minute walk: museums, performance spaces, historic landmarks, modern architecture, and public art.  The iQuilt Plan links those assets with a vibrant and innovative pedestrian network. Its centerpiece is the GreenWalk, a one-mile chain of parks and plazas connecting the gold-domed Capitol in Bushnell Park to the waterfront of the Connecticut River.

Walk the Walk(s)

Riverfront Recapture is a non-profit organization dedicated for three decades to restoring public access to the riverfront along the Connecticut River in Hartford and East Hartford.  It's annual Big Mo fundraiser on October 12 will mark the 10th anniversary of the Riverfront Boathouse in Hartford.  The organization’s four parks, which cover four miles of pristine shoreline and 148 acres, are connected by a growing network of riverwalks.  In addition to physically constructing the parks, Riverfront Recapture is also responsible for managing, maintaining and programming the parks, producing events and offering activities. In 2010, Riverfront Recapture set an attendance record with more than 960,000 people coming the Riverfront to enjoy the parks and the many festivals, concerts, and sporting events.

How Does Your Historic Garden Grow? 14 CT Sites Answer

Next Sunday, June 24 is the 9th Annual Connecticut Historic Gardens Day – a perfect day to visit one or several of 14 historic gardens across Connecticut. Each site offers special activities emphasizing their site and its unique history.  Connecticut residents (and visitors from beyond the state’s borders) are urged to visit a site or two in their immediate area, or make a day of it and head off to explore another part of the state.   The 14 historic sites are throughout the state, from Wilton to Old Lyme, Bethlehem to Woodstock. Connecticut's Historic Gardens raises awareness of distinctive historic sites and gardens within Connecticut's borders. By pooling funding, design, marketing and volunteer resources, the organization increases programming opportunities, offering the public experiences rich in beauty and history, and brings greater recognition and visitation to member sites.

Connecticut's Historic Gardens was started in 2002 by a small group of historic sites with gardens that pooled resources to participate in the annual Connecticut Flower and Garden Show held in Hartford. Out of this collaboration came the development of a comprehensive brochure, funded by a grant from the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism, that has been distributed in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York, and is available online. The group also participates in the New England Flower Show in Boston.

Programs and fees vary at each of the historic sites; hours are 12 noon to 4 pm unless noted on their respective web sites.  The 14 locations are:

• Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden, Bethlehem
• Butler-McCook House & Garden, Hartford
• Florence Griswold Museum, Old Lyme
• Glebe House Museum, Woodbury
• Harkness Memorial State Park, Waterford
• Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, Hartford
• Hill-Stead Museum, Farmington
• New London County Historical Society and Shaw Mansion, New London
• Osborne Homestead Museum, Derby
• Promisek at Three Rivers Farm, Bridgewater
• Roseland Cottage, Woodstock
• Thankful Arnold House Museum / Haddam Historical Society, Haddaam
• Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum, Wethersfield
• Weir Farm National Historic Site, Wilton

CT's "Still Revolutionary" Tourism Backed with $27 Million

Tourism in Connecticut generates about $11.5 billion in spending, $1.15 billion in state and local tax revenue and employs nearly 111,000 workers, according to 2011 statistics.  But for the Malloy Administration, that's not nearly enough.  A new  two-year, $27 million dollar initiative to bolster tourism, to include TV, radio, print, and digital advertising, with the theme "Connecticut: Still Revolutionary" is being launched.  The new logo is already appearing on the state's social media channels. "Still Revolutionary speaks to Connecticut's deep roots in the founding of this country and reminds us that we still have that independent, revolutionary spirit," Malloy said.   "For centuries we have been the home of literary greats, innovators and natural wonders — an incredibly diverse array of products and talent, all right here in Connecticut.  We are a beautiful state, and we are very proud of our history, even as we look toward our future.  It's time we did a better job of telling that story."

My Connecticut Story: Signs and Stories Run Through the State

How long does it take to visit all of Connecticut's 169 towns?  In the case of one resident, 13 years.  And that individual not only stopped by each town, he ferreted out the official town sign - you know, the large blue signs with white lettering that often appear on town greens.  Thomas Fatone's odyssey began in Trumbull in 1997 and continued  across the state through 2010. Visiting is fine, but how long does it take to run in all 169 towns?  Longer.  Nonetheless, it is becoming a popular goal.  So much so that a society of runners dedicated to running through every town in Connecticut has been formed, and they have a website to track their exploits.  DEBTiCONN.org, which stands for Do Every Blessed Town in Connecticut, has a motto:  "All you have to do is show up and run."

Now, Fatone and Adam Osmond (one of the runners) are among a growing number of Connecticut residents telling their stories as part of the state's new tourism website, which encourages such homegrown stories and holds out the possibility of the story-tellers winning prizes and their stories influencing the state's new $22 million tourism campaign.    By the way, The Signs of Connecticut will soon be published as a book.  Osmond, at last check, was still running.  The contest, operated by the Department of Economic and Community Development, ends on May 25, 2012.

Save the Date: State Parks Centennial Is A Year Away

One can't help but think of the great outdoors, encouraged by a warmer-than-usual and earlier-than-usual burst of springtime.  Hence the recognition that the Centennial celebration of Connecticut's state parks is only a year away - with plans to mark the anniversary already on the horizon. The State will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of State Parks beginning in September, 2013.  Connecticut has 107 State Parks all across the state, "each with its own character and personality," according to the advance publicity for the celebration.  The occasion has been on the mind of state government since a year ago.

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is asking state residents, in effect, to save the date - or rather, the year.  More info on Connecticut's state parks is available on the DEEP website.

State's City Canvas Awards Will Bring New Art to 7 Cities

Coming to a city near you:  City Canvas, a one-time initiative bringing mural-based public art into downtown spaces throughout Connecticut.  It's happening in seven cities, with the financial support of the state's Office of the Arts, part of the newly enhanced Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) into which the former Commission on Culture and Tourism was merged.  Twelve cities applied, and seven were awarded funds for submitted projects.  The rundown: Bridgeport / Bridgeport Arts & Cultural Council: Moving image light projections on a prominent downtown building. $158,000. Hartford / Real Arts Ways:  interactive, water activated, public art piece highlighting Hartford’s history. $125,000. New Britain / New Britain Museum of American Art: new mural at the New Britain/Hartford busway terminal. $98,050. New London / Hygienic Art: Three murals extending the New London Wall to Wall Mural Walk along with trompe l’oeil parking garage adornments. $145,062. Stamford / Stamford Cultural Development Corporation:Illumination and animation of transportation center for Metro North/Amtrak passengers and travelers on I-95. $150.000. Torrington / Northwest CT Association for the Arts: Unifying artwork on the façade of the new Children’s Museum. $165,000 Waterbury / Arts & Culture Collaborative, Waterbury Region: large-scale mosaic with extensive community involvement / $108,744.48

DECD, in keeping with its recently unveiled Creative Placemaking arts strategy, says the City Canvas program is designed to enhance public spaces through the visual arts and to connect the urban regions of Connecticut.  The art installations in the 7 cities are expected to get underway this spring, as municipalities and their respective partnership arts organizations collaborate in each of the local initiatives.

Connecticut Convention Center Numbers Strong

Attendance at Connecticut Convention Center events  rose by 50 percent in 2011, compared with the previous year — setting a record for the facility, which opened overlooking the Connecticut River in Hartford to much fanfare in 2005. More than 333,570 visitors attended events at the convention center last year, according to the Capital City Economic Development Authority.  Records also were set for total revenue, up 29 percent compared with 2010, and hotel room nights increased 24 percent over the same period.

What's coming up?  The Connecticut Music Educators Conference and the New England Square & Round Dance Convention, both in April, and the Connecticut Conference on Tourism in May, among dozens of events booked for the coming months.  Numerous events are booked years in advance at the facility, some as far out as 2015.

No word on whether  the increase has anything to do with the change in colors highlighted on the convention center website, with the new blue-and-teal logo supplanting the original orange-and-red toned  scheme.