Called to order at 6:59pm
1. Election of new officers
- Helen Ward (President), Viktor Sjöberg (Vice President), Michelle Peralta (Secretary), and Liz Hellwig (Treasurer) were elected to the WCA Board
WCA Kickoff For Whitney Ave (State Route 707) Traffic Calming Petition
Whitneyville residents really turned out for launch of petition drive and updates on infrastructure projects!
WCA is kicking off a community-wide petition to urge CTDOT to accelerate its timeline for traffic calming and infrastructure improvement on Whitney Ave (State Route 707). Please take a read of the below documents – if you agree with the intent, please sign the petition (electronic preferred) and share with your neighbors and friends!
Our goal is to collect as many signatures as possible in the next couple weeks, then engage with CTDOT and elected leaders to schedule a meeting together in May to bring more attention to the issues on Whitney Ave and develop concrete next steps for CTDOT’s traffic calming plans.
March 21st Meeting Reminder
Join us 7pm this Thursday, March 21st, at the Board of Education building!
We will be joined by our town engineer, Stephen White. Agenda items will focus on local infrastructure improvements and traffic calming initiatives – including the new sidewalks planned on Davis St and other traffic calming/infrastructure projects planned for Whitneyville!
We will also be presenting the kickoff of a grassroots petition to urge CTDOT to accelerate its timeline for traffic calming and infrastructure improvement on Whitney Ave (State Route 707).
Check out the heat map below for a little teaser for the kickoff 
We will not be hosting a Zoom option for this meeting – we look forward to seeing you in person!
Date: 7pm, Thursday, March 21st
Location: 60 Putnam Ave, Hamden, CT 06517 (Board of Education side entrance)
WCA Community Update and Meeting Reminder
| Neighborhood Cleanup Thank you!You may have noticed our Whitneyville commercial area looking especially nice recently. The reason? A group of civic-minded seventh graders organized by Whitneyville resident, Gigi, who spent their precious Saturday cleaning up litter in our neighborhood. WCA was happy to sponsor their efforts. They’re setting a great example of civic engagement for all of us! |
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| Pictured left to right: Ruthie, Mia, Elsa, Maia, Helen Ward, WCA VP, Annabelle, Claire, Penny and Gigi. Noga is not pictured but also participated! Please Take a Brief Survey to Help Shape Spring Glen Development Survey link: https://forms.gle/dTbLEZHyBSunrgAFA The WCA is forwarding a survey created by the Spring Glen Association and Spring Forward asking what changes people would like to see in Spring Glen. The survey is open to all community members, not just Spring Glen residents. It only takes a few minutes to complete. WCA Meeting ReminderMark your calendar for 7pm on Thursday, March 21st for WCA’s first membership meeting of 2024. Hamden’s Engineer, Stephen White, will be joining us for a discussion about local pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle infrastructure plans. Look out for more details in subsequent reminder emails. Small Business Event AwarenessThe Hamden Economic Development Commission will be hosting a Small Business Symposium on March 12th at 6:30 PM. See below for a snapshot of the informational flyer. On behalf of the Chairman, Donald Moses, we are forwarding his request to reach out to the business owners that may benefit from attending the symposium. Donald can be reached with questions at: DMoses_bc@hamden.com |
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Hamden Democratic Mayoral Primary – Candidate Responses
See below for Democratic mayoral candidate responses from Lauren Garrett and Walter Morton
The WCA board consolidated member questions into five distinct questions focused on Whitneyville. Both candidates provided their websites for those looking to seek information about more general political and Hamden topics.
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May 18th WCA Meeting
Whitney Dam Update
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WCA Board Elections
Join us at 7pm this Thursday (5/18) at the Board of Education building to hear guest speakers from the RWA provide an update regarding the Whitney Dam Project.
After the Dam discussion, we will vote on new board positions and discuss upcoming committee revitalization plans!
We encourage all who have an inkling of interest in participating on the board or on committee to attend this meeting in person or via Zoom!
Please read the below for a brief summary of board positions and committee plans:
- President: Our current secretary, Andrew Pierson, has offered to put his name in the hat for the role of president, but with the expectation that his term would only be one year long (summer 2024 move planned).
- Vice President: This position has been vacant this past year, we’ll discuss further how this role could support the WCA and committees in the future.
- Secretary: This position is best served by a tech-comfortable member of the membership who doesn’t mind sending email distros and hosting the occasional Zoom meeting. (comes with a thorough handoff from Andrew!)
- Treasury: This position has a continuity plan for the coming term.
- Library Committee: This committee is a great resource for coalescing support around our awesome neighborhood library (a resource perpetually in the cross-hairs of town budget cuts). Anyone with a penchant for books, libraries, and a learning-focused community space is encouraged to join the committee!
- Music Committee: Anyone who walks the neighborhood on a summer evening can vouch for the numerous musicians in our midst across Whitneyville! We’d love to revitalize this committee with the hope of bringing back some low-key neighborhood music events in the future.
- Local Business Committee: The quaint residential nature of Whitneyville thrives in large part from the symbiotic relationship we have with the commercial enterprises nestled across the neighborhood. After all, what does walkability mean without places to walk to!?
March Meeting – Sustainable Gardening
| When: 7pm Thursday, March 16th Join us in-person! Hamden Board of Education, 60 Putnam Ave(user the side entrance, meeting will take place in the board room) Or join us on Zoom! Interested in making our neighborhood more sustainable and eco-friendly? Join the WCA Thursday, March 16th, for a community meeting and Q&A featuring Bob Pattison and Susan Sternberg with a discussion on pollinators, native plants, watershed-friendly practices, and all things sustainable gardening! As spring eagerly approaches, the WCA is excited to host Bob and Susan to share their knowledge and lessons learned in creating a healthy and natural landscape that promotes biodiversity and enhances the local environment. Their Spring Glen home garden earned the August 2022 Residential Green Award from Hamden Land Conservation Trust and Mill River Watershed Association. #shrinkthelawn |
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WCA Hosts Author Nicholas Dawidoff
Thursday, January 19th at 7pm
Come hear our own Whitneyville resident, Nicholas Dawidoff, discuss his moving, powerful book, The Other Side of Prospect: A Story of Violence, Injustice and the American City.
A bit more context about the book…
The Other Side of Prospect focuses on the shooting of a grandfather in Newhallville and the innocent sixteen year old who was sentenced to prison, later exonerated and who struggled with the effects of his incarceration. “The Other Side of Prospect is a reportorial tour de force, at once a sweeping account of how the injustices of racism and inequality reverberate through the generations, and a beautifully written portrait of American city life, told through a group of unforgettable people and their intertwined experiences.”
Dawidoff will be interviewed by award winning Dr. Khalilah Brown-Dean, author, professor of political science at QU and host of “Disrupted” on NPR.
Don’t have a copy of the book?
Possible Futures, a new bookstore in New Haven, will have copies available for author signing and sales. You can also order the book from their website at possiblefuturesbooks.com. The store has also graciously volunteered to deliver books to local residents who are unable to travel to the store prior to the event.
Event Details
Date
Thursday, January 19th at 7pm
Location
Board Room of the Board of Education building, 60 Putnam Ave
October Meeting Information
How old is the town Charter? Does it still work? How can I have input?
Join us Thursday, October 20th at 7pm to learn about the the Town Charter and the Charter Revision Commission. Jackie Downing, two-time Charter Revision Commission member and life-long Hamden resident, will talk about the processes and procedures and about how we, as residents and voters can be involved.
The meeting will be at the Board of Education building, 60 Putnam Avenue (entrance off the driveway, look for signs) and a Zoom option will be available for those not wishing to attend in-person (Zoom link will be emailed out day-of and will be posted here on our website).
Time pending at the end of the meeting, we will review results from the community survey and discuss how the responses will shape upcoming WCA initiatives. Here is a link to the survey – we are still accepting responses, please take a couple minutes to provide feedback if you haven’t already.
March Meeting Information
Thursday, March 17, 7pm
Whitneyville Cultural Commons
1253 Whitney Avenue
The Whitneyville Civic Association will hold its regular meeting this Thursday at 7:00 PM.
Our featured speaker will be Mayor Lauren Garrett. She will present on the Hamden Transition Report, updates, and have time for questions.
See you on Thursday evening!