The State Bond Commission made state lawmakers in Darien, Norwalk and Stratford very happy on Tuesday, Oct. 22 when it approved the proceeds of bond sales to fund a health and rehabilitation center, the relocation of a museum and the cleanup of a Superfund site.
Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, joined members of the Norwalk state delegation Tuesday in celebrating the State Bond Commission’s approval of funding to support local projects including a grant to help pay for equipment and improvements at Notre Dame Health and Rehabilitation Center.
Projects given final approval by the panel during its Tuesday meeting included $241,000 for the Notre Dame Health and Rehabilitation Center in Norwalk.
This grant will help the facility make necessary upgrades to serve its residents including the replacement of a boiler that provides heat and hot water, the restoration of bathroom amenities in residents’ rooms, security updates, and improvements to the grounds.
“We’re very grateful to receive this grant that will help us immensely to improve the quality of life for our residents,” said Sister Marie Lucie Monast, vice president of Notre Dame Convalescent Homes. “It will help us take care of washing machines, sinks that have been breaking and faucets that are not closing. And it’s going to help us energy-wise to replace a boiler that has been breaking down and leaking all over the place.”
Sen. Duff was told of the center’s needs on a recent visit to Notre Dame to
to celebrate the 106th birthday of a resident.
“Sister Lucie told me about several urgent needs at the facility, including the replacement of a leaking boiler that was essential for providing safe and comfortable care,” Duff said. “So, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work. This grant will enable Sister Lucie to address critical issues—from reliable hot water and heat to updated security and much-needed bathroom renovations.”
New Canaan state representative Lucy Dathan was grateful for the much-needed funds.
“I am pleased to have worked with my colleagues to secure new funding for Notre Dame Health and Rehab Center in Norwalk to support much-needed upgrades,” said Dathan, D-New Canaan.
In addition to the new support for the Notre Dame facility, the State Bond Commission voted to release funding to support the replacement of the Hanson Road bridge over Stony Brook in Darien. The sale of state bonds will cover just over $1 million or half of the project’s total cost.
Other Norwalk-based projects approved last month by the Community Investment Fund 2030 Board include:
• $3.5 million for the Carver Community Center to support the renovation and expansion of the center. This project will make enhancements to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as make necessary security upgrades.
• $2.5 million to Norwalk to offset the cost of constructing a roundabout to provide safer access to the new South Norwalk Elementary School.
In Stratford, the state delegation celebrated the State Bond Commission’s approval of funds for two significant projects. Rep. Laura Dancho, Sen. Herron Gaston, Rep. Joe Gresko, Sen. Kevin Kelly, and Rep. Ben McGorty applauded the State Bond Commission’s approval on Tuesday.
The panel approved a $2 million award for African American Collections Inc. in Stratford, which will rehabilitate the Sterling Homestead for the relocation of the Ruby & Calvin Fletcher African American History Museum, as well as $1.5 million to remediate hazardous waste at the Raymark superfund cleanup site. Raymark was a manufacturer of automotive brakes, clutch parts, and other friction components.
“Working on this project with Jeffrey Fletcher over the past few years has been a pleasure,” Gresko said. “Moving the Fletcher African American Museum to the heart of Stratford’s historic district is a great success. Everyone who worked on this project should be proud.”
Kelly called the move to help fund the museum’s move “wonderful news.”
“The Ruby and Calvin Fletcher African American History Museum is the first museum of its kind in New England,” Kelly said. “Stratford is very blessed to have this impactful and provocative museum right here in our town which shares both difficult and empowering pieces of our nation’s history.”
As for the funds for the former Raymark site cleanup, the bipartisan delegation was thankful for the attention paid to making the environment safe and clean going forward.
“I am also grateful to the State Bond Commission for approval of funds to help remediate hazardous waste at the Raymark superfund cleanup site,” said Sen. Gaston. “Exposure to this waste can cause serious health problems and with the proper management and care, the cleanup of this site will ensure a safer environment for future generations.”
Parks funding
Gov. Ned Lamont, chairman of the State Bond Commission, also announced that the commission voted to approve $30 million allocation that will be used for infrastructure repairs and refurbishment needed across the Connecticut State Parks system, including $3 million that will be used to make critical repairs at state parks impacted by the Aug. 18 extreme flash flooding event.
This funding supports the Restore CT State Parks initiative, which is an historic effort by the Lamont administration and the state legislature to address the backlog of needed repairs across Connecticut’s 110 state parks and 32 state forests. Since 2022, the state has committed more than $70 million of American Rescue Plan Act and state bond funds to support investment in outdoor recreation across Connecticut.
“Our state parks and forests are a big part of our incredible quality of life in Connecticut,” the governor said. “These destinations are also well-loved, welcoming an estimated 17 million visitors annually – that’s more than four times the population of Connecticut. We’re restoring our parks to ensure that residents and visitors now and into the future can have a wonderful outdoor recreation experience in Connecticut.”
Under the Restore CT State Parks initiative, DEEP is working on projects across the state to improve ADA access, repair historic and cultural infrastructure, such as Gillette Castle, Fort Trumbull, and Heublein Tower; and address critical maintenance backlogs, such as paving and bathhouse and utility repairs.
