East Coast Greenway Charts A Downtown Path in Hartford

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You wouldn’t expect to see a sign designating Capitol Avenue in Hartford, on the corner of Sisson Avenue, as the route of the East Coast Greenway – but nonetheless, there it is.  Affixed to a utility pole, not a tree. The East Coast Greenway (ECG) is being established as a 3,000 mile traffic-free (not quite yet) trail that will connect cities and towns from the Canadian border at Calais, Maine to Key West, Florida.  Linking together publicly-owned, firm-surface trails, the ECG is envisioned as a safe route for exercise, recreation and transportation for the 30 million Americans who live near the route and as a tourism destination for millions of visitors.  It includes 15 states (and the District of Columbia), 25 major cities, and scores of smaller cities, towns, villages and counties.

The 198-mile Connecticut section of the East Coast Greenway route shows off the diversity of Connecticut from coast to inland, city to country. The eastern part of the state, sometimes referred to as the “last green valley” is the most rural area in the corridor between Boston and Washington, DC.   A series of rail trails, including the Air Line Trail North and the Hop River Trail, run through this region connecting historic mill towns like Willimantic and pass through forests and farmlands between.

In the western half of the state, the Greenway connects the major cities of Hartford, New Haven, and Stamford and allows users to experience history while touring the Farmington Canal Greenway from Simsbury to New Haven. Southwest of New Haven along Long Island Sound, the interim on-road route hugs the shore through the suburbs to the New York line.

Approximately 28% of the 198-mile route is complete as traffic-free trail, and another 28% is in development. There remains much work ahead,  including the Merritt Parkway Trail, envisioned to parallel the Merritt Parkway in Fairfield County, the Farmington Canal Greenway between Southington and Farmington, and the route from Hartford to Simsbury.

Among the partners working to bring the project to completion in the state of Connecticut are:

This past August, a group of 37 riders traveled from Portland and rode over 400 miles in seven days to Hartford, where they were greeted by Mayor Pedro Segarra.

 

Dog Owners May Be Next in State’s “Still Revolutionary” Tourism Marketing

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Who let the dogs out?  Apparently, Connecticut’s two-year, $27 million tourism campaign is seriously considering doing just that.  So says Kip Bergstrom, Deputy Commissioner of the State Department of Economic and Community Development.  Bergstrom, interviewed by Diane Smith of CT-N for an hour-long discussion (with live audience) as part of the Old State House’s lunchtime conversation series, suggested that dogs – and their owners - may be the next group to boost the state’s tourism numbers and dollars. The state’s tourism team, branding the state as "still revolutionary,"  is starting to compile “dog-friendly places” throughout Connecticut, to add to the state’s tourism website.  Why?  One of Connecticut’s advantages in attracting tourists is that it is a “drive-to” site, rather than a “fly-to” site, with a huge population close by, Bergstrom points out.  Which means the family pet – often a dog – can come along for the ride, and the visit.

It’s a big market, Bergstrom told the CT-N audience, “and we can immediately begin to reveal places you can go in Connecticut with a dog.”  Among the major plusses - the 800 miles of hiking trails in Connecticut - perfect for dog and owner to go for a walk.  Bergstrom, the owner of six dogs, admitted “don’t be surprised if there’s a dog in the next ad.”

Bergstrom also noted that in deciding on the new “still revolutionary” brand, the state and its tourism team of vendors spoke with more than 1,500 people in the state.  He said that the brand should last for decades, propelled by “ambassadors” – individuals throughout the state repeating their own stories of Connecticut’s “places that matter.”

Bergstrom said that the campaign “has already paid for itself” through increased tourism, with more advertising and targeted messaging ahead.  The expectation is that by campaign’s end, the state will receive $3 in state and local taxes for every $1 spent in the marketing effort.  Taking note of the location of the interview, Bergstrom said “democracy is not a noun, it’s a verb.”

Long Island Sound Coastal Clean-up Volunteers Get Ready

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Save the Sound staff have been diligently preparing for the 27th annual International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) that kicks off on Saturday, September 15, 2012.  It's Save the Sound’s tenth year as the Connecticut coordinator for Ocean Conservancy's worldwide cleanup effort and the organization, a project of the Connecticut Fund for the Environment, has planned nearly 40 volunteer events over the next few weeks. Details about upcoming volunteer cleanups are listed on the Save the Sound website's calendar, including events in Stamford, Darien, Norwalk, Westport, Fairfield, Bridgeport, Stratford, Milford, West Haven, New Haven, Branford, Madison, Clinton, Westbrook, Waterford, New London, and Groton.

Long Island Sound contributes more than $9 billion to the regional economy each year.  Last year, Save the Sound brought together 2,665 volunteers, who removed more than 29,000 pounds of trash from 54 miles of coastline.

Long Island Sound is one of the nation’s great estuaries, a place where fresh water from inland waterways flows into salt water from the ocean.  The Sound is a vital economic and recreational resource and provides habitat for diverse animal and plant life.  With 10 percent of the nation’s population living within 50 miles of the Sound, pollution is one of the biggest issues threatening the health of the Sound and the plants and animals that live there.

This year Save the Sound organizers are hoping to get even more people involved, and additional information is available on Facebook, or by emailing Save the Sound's Kierran Broatch at kbroatch@savethesound.org or (203) 787-0646, x113.

EnvisionFest Hartford on September 29 Set to be Record-Setting Celebration

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On one day in Hartford later this month, people can participate in setting a Zumba world record, climb 96 historic steps saluting soldiers and sailors lost generations ago, and be among an anticipated 1,000 bicycle-riders and walkers in the Capital City.  The event?  The iQuilt Partnership and supporting arts, businesses and community organizations are coordinating EnvisionFest Hartford on September 29.  It is a city-wide event filled with hundreds of free activities and countless opportunities to experience the vibrant arts community and get a sneak preview of the planned transformation along the proposed GreenWalk.

Among the scores of events:

  • A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to break the current world record for the largest Zumba class, previously set by 3,105 participants in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. The challenge is set for 1 p.m. and is perfect for children of all ages, especially those with a competitive spirit! Parents and grandparents will also love the cardiovascular benefits Zumba has to offer.
  • Learn the living history, connection to the Civil War and current efforts for restoration of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch just across from the State Capitol near the Bushnell Park Carousel. Climb 96 steps for amazing views of Hartford. Free tours conducted 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • The EnvisionFest celebration starts with Bike/Walk Connecticut’s Hartford Parks Tour, where an estimated 1,000 riders will begin their tours on Elm Street at 9 a.m.

"Connecticut Creates" Invites Conversation in Hartford, Bridgeport, Danbury

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The grassroots initiative Connecticut Creates continues to extend the conversation, and is looking for people to give voice to what’s happening in Hartford, Bridgeport and Danbury during informal gatherings on Thursday, August 23. Connecticut Creates is a conversation about people who are actively creating a new future for themselves and those around them. The group behind Connecticut Creates sees a future for the state that is designed by the people, for the people. By finding and supporting Connecticut residents who are actively taking charge of their own destiny, the initiative seeks to generate “more hope and possibility in our state and in each other.”

Up next: Thursday, August 23, from 6 to 8 PM there will be talk about plans for the fall and sharing of stories of people who inspire, like Kristin Brooks of Clinton. Those who attend will help us shape Connecticut Creates. Locations are:

  • Downtown Yoga: 57 Pratt Street, Hartford, CT 06103
  • Melt: 7 Lafayette Circle, Bridgeport, CT 06604
  • Two Step Grille: 5 Ives Street, Danbury, CT 06810

Individuals can RSVP on Eventbrite and share the event with friends on Facebook and beyond.

The first open forums took place on Thur., June 7 at: Javapalooza, Middletown, The Grove in New Haven, Bean & Leaf in New London and Fat Cat Pie Co., in Norwalk. For post-event recaps, read the blog post.

Connecticut Creates is in the process of identifying and profiling people (through video and on our blog) in business, government, education, nonprofit and arts/culture/tourism who are designing a new destiny for themselves and, in the process, having a positive impact on those around them. In the works are David Murphy of One Little Boat and Oil Drum Art, and Bun Lai of Miya's Sushi.

Organizers says there’s much more out there, and they’d like to hear about ‘em.   The goal this week:  widen the circle and broaden the conversation.

Gymnastics National Championships to Return to Hartford Next Summer

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USA Gymnastics has announced that the 2013 U.S. Gymnastics Championships will return to Hartford’s XL Center next summer a quick follow-up to a very successful debut in the Capitol City in 2010 that featured future Olympians many of whom are now household names. Tickets for the four-day competition, to be held Aug. 14-17 - which are USA Gymnastics' national championships - went on sale immediately, to take advantage of heightened interest in gymnastics in the weeks following the London Olympics.  There was a recent published commentary urging Connecticut to focus on attracting sports-related competitions and tournaments, and the announcement underscored the opportunities now available to the state.

The competition schedule for 2013 in Hartford is: Aug. 14 – men's gymnastics, juniors at 1 p.m. and seniors at 6:30 p.m.; Aug. 15 – women's gymnastics, juniors at 1 p.m. and seniors at 6:30 p.m.; Aug. 16 – men's gymnastics, juniors at 1 p.m. and seniors at 6:30 p.m.; and Aug. 17 – women's gymnastics, juniors at 2 p.m. and seniors at 7:30 p.m. All-session tickets for the U.S. Gymnastics Championships range in price from $125-$395.

Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra said, "The U.S. Gymnastics Championships are a signature event for the City of Hartford -- one that I have worked hard to recruit back to Connecticut's Capital City. It's exciting for residents and beneficial for Downtown businesses."

The 49th Annual USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show is a three-day event open to the entire gymnastics community. Held in conjunction with the U.S. Gymnastics Championships, National Congress provides a unique opportunity for presentations, demonstrations and educational seminars on a variety of topics and a large exhibitor's hall with additional business opportunities.

Local News Buffeted by Technology, Ownership, Regulators & Courts

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The way in which people get their news information continues to evolve rapidly, as reflected in data highlighted by the National Conference on Citizenship, reporting that 23% of adults nationwide get the latest news on at least two mobile devices – and noting that 44% have smart phones and 18% own a tablet – numbers that will surely continue to grow. Of those with digital devices, 70% get their news from a desktop or laptop, 51% from a smartphone and 56% from a tablet device.  The increasing impact of mobile devices and social media in the dissemination of news is outlined at the organization’s – you guessed it – website.

LED BY WFSB

Among those tuning to local television in the region recently, Hartford’s WFSB Channel 3 had a strong Nielsen ratings period for the month of July, according to The Laurel.  Eyewitness News was ranked #1 in the market for each of the station’s newscasts beginning at 4:30 AM and holding top stops from 5-6 AM and 6-7 AM and then at 5, 5:30, 6 and 11 PM.

COURANT?

Over at FOX Connecticut, which physically relocated to a joint operation with The Hartford Courant on Broad Street in Hartford when CT1 Media was formed by Tribune Co., owner of both media outlets, the future continues to unfold more outside than in Connecticut.  News reports regarding the long-running Tribune Co. bankruptcy case reached a key milestone last month when U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Carey in Delaware said he would approve a plan that will transfer ownership of the media company to a group of hedge funds and banks.

If and when that occurs, new owners would like move to get the company out of Chapter 11, and seek approval from the Federal Communications Commission in Washington to transfer Tribune's TV licenses to them. Because Tribune Co. owns newspapers and broadcast stations in several markets, including Hartford, the FCC must grant waivers from its restrictions on ownership of multiple media outlets in the same city.

Before Tribune Co., which owns 23 TV stations, went private in 2007, the FCC granted a permanent waiver to the company for its Chicago media holdings. The FCC also granted temporary waivers in Los Angeles, New York, South Florida and Hartford.  But new waivers are required with a change in ownership, and some are urging filed the FCC to deny Tribune Co.'s waiver requests, according to media reports.

Connecticut is #26 in Levels of Biking, Walking; #24 in Fatalities

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There were 27 fatal bicycling accidents in Connecticut between 2005 and 2010, and the total number of biking-related crashes around the state during that five-year span was 4,276, the Hartford Advocate is reporting, citing official state data.  State officials also report that between 2005 and 2009, there were about 5,300 pedestrian-related traffic accidents in Connecticut The Tri-State Transportation Campaign recently issued an analysis of pedestrian accidents in Connecticut between 2008 and 2010 that showed there were 121 pedestrian deaths in that time frame.

The state’s Department of Transportation is beginning to respond.  The DOT announced recently that a 2.75-mile stretch of Burnside Avenue in East Hartford (part of Route 44), between Main and Mary Streets, will be redesigned to reduce the number of travel lanes for vehicles and to install bike lanes.  Much attention has been paid to the section of roadway following a series of fatal bicycle-car collisions that took the lives of three East Hartford cyclists during the past two years.  The Hartford Courant has reported that the DOT considers the plan the first of its kind in the state – a state road redesign aimed at improving bicyclist and pedestrian safety.

Earlier this year, Bicycling and Walking in the United States: 2012 Benchmarking Report, produced by the Alliance for Biking & Walking, ranked all 50 states (and the 51 largest U.S. cities) on bicycling and walking levels, safety, funding, and other factors.  Connecticut ranked #26 among the states in levels of bicycling and walking.  In fatalities, the state ranked #24.  Among the reports noteworthy statistics:

  • Seniors are the most vulnerable bicyclists and pedestrians. Adults over 65 make up 10% of walking trips, yet comprise 19% of pedestrian fatalities. This age group accounts for 6% of bicycling trips, yet 10% of bicyclist fatalities.
  • Bicycling and walking projects create 11-14 jobs per $1 million spent, compared to just 7 jobs created per $1 million spent on highway projects. Cost benefit analysis show that up to $11.80 in benefits can be gained for every $1 invested in bicycling and walking.
  • While bicycling and walking fell 66% between 1960 and 2009, obesity levels increased 156%.
  • On average, the largest 51 U.S. cities show a 29% increase in bicycle facilities since the 2010 report.

All of which underscores the need to improve bicycling safety, as biking becomes more popular across the country.

New Focus on Attracting Sports Tournaments, Conventions to CT

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The newly formed Connecticut Convention and Sports Bureau (CCSB), which brings together the former Greater Hartford Convention and Visitors Bureau and the State Department of Economic and Community Development - now with  oversight responsibility for state tourism programs - could be the key for a renewed effort to attract events to the state.  The convention and sports bureau is a private, nonprofit agency, funded by $1.3 million in state funds, with  a 40-member sports advisory board, already established by state law.  An op-ed in The Hartford Courant Sunday proposed a reinvigorated effort to attract sports-related tournaments and conventions, including use of state natives whose athletic success has been noteworthy (such as NHL Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Quick of Hamden).   Also in the news:  AEG Facilities’ Chuck Steedman, Senior Vice President & General Manager of the XL Center, has been appointed to the Executive Committee of the CCSB and the Chair of the commission’s sports marketing arm.  And a longtime activist in encouraging sporting events in the state, Jay Sloves of the marketing firm Elkinson & Sloves, was among those receiving recognition in the final awards ceremony of the GHCVB last month.  Also recognized were Robert J. Martino of the law firm of Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C. and Neletta Cochrane of CTTransit.

Market "En Plein Air" in Old Lyme Celebrates CT’s Harvest

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As the saying goes, Connecticut is Still Revolutionary.  And as history buffs will remind you, at the time of the Revolutionary War, France was on our side.  Which brings us to Saturday, July 28 (from 9am to 3pm) when the abundance of a French country market comes to Connecticut.  For the 14th year, the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme hosts Market En Plein Air, a place for artisan bakers, organic farmers, and specialty food producers to show off their specialties. Last year, over 6,000 people attended the event, part of Old Lyme Midsummer Festival. A chefs’ competition, an artisan craft fair, dog contest, book signings, and hands-on activity area round out the food-focused experience! Modeled after the outdoor markets found in villages throughout France, Market En Plein Air features fresh organic fruits and vegetables, flowers, breads, fine cheeses, herbs, and specialty foods  -- all of the highest quality and all produced in Connecticut.  There will be 28 specially selected vendors on hand with items to sample and take home. Festivalgoers can enjoy a prepared lunch by Gourmet Galley and stroll the Museum’s 11-acre historic site along the banks of the Lieutenant River.

Next to the Market on the grounds of the Museum is Hands-On/Minds-On, where visitors of all ages enjoy fun, creative projects provided by area cultural organizations from 10am to 3pm.  At 12pm the Bee and Thistle Inn and Spa presents BEAT Shoreline Chef Competition. Just like on TV, four local chefs are given secret ingredients selected from Market En Plein Air vendors. Using those items, they prepare a dish to be judged on taste and presentation. Spectators watch as the chefs prepare their items. The winner will be selected at 1:30pm.

Entrance to activities is free. Admission to the Museum and riverfront gallery, which features the special exhibition, On Hudson: Highlights from the Albany Institute of History & Art will be reduced to $5 for the day. The Florence Griswold Museum exit 70 off I-95.  More info at (860) 434-5542 and www.FlorenceGriswoldMuseum.org.