Sidewalk Sales Draw Hundreds, Highlighting Ongoing Parking Debate
Parking is at capacity for Westport’s Sidewalk Sale event on June 24th.
Photos and story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The Annual Sidewalk Sale Days are always a big hit with shoppers and that means lots of drivers looking for a parking space. The debate over the proposed modifications to Parker Harding Plaza, the largest parking lot for downtown shoppers currently would result in the closing of the pass through from Main St. to the Post Road as well as the elimination of a number of parking spaces. According to First Selectwoman Jen Tooker, consideration of reconfiguration of the Parker Harding Plaza Parking Lot will be on hold for the time being. Reporting indicates many downtown merchants as well as many residents objected to the plan which would reduce available parking.
As the photos above show, there is nary a space to be had even at 4:00PM on Saturday with only a few shopping hours left in the day. One Gorham Island which adjoins Parker Harding and is available for parking on weekends when the offices are mostly closed, had just a few spots left. With a growing list of in town events such as the Westport Art Festival, WestoberFest with more possible in the future, and new retail and restaurants increasing the demand for parking, the solution will be a challenge for town officials. No matter what the solution turns out to be, rest assured there will likely be vocal criticism and opposition.
Word on the street was that Kerri Rosenthal was offering big discounts on some of their lines of fine artwork, clothing and home accessories resulting in a line to enter their tent.
Photos and story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Vineyard Vines tent was also very well attended with shoppers looking for bargains.
Thousands Flock To Compo Beach To Celebrate America’s Birthday
Melissa & Doug and Westport PAL once again team up to give us a spectacular show.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
At 6:30 PM there was still prime real estate available. By 7:30, it was all gone. The baseball field had been marked up for perfectly aligned parking.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Getting a prime spot early is always a good idea.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Pretty easy for these party-goers to find the party!
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Some folks had the perfect view, and no traffic!
jUNe Day: When The World Came To Wakeman Town Farm
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Wakeman Town Farm in Westport often gets visitors from out-of-town, especial for their special events like their upcoming family fun day. Saturday the large groups of visitors were from WAY out of town. LIke China, Pakistan and Boliva.
WTF was one of the stops for the visiting UN delegates and staff who were in town for jUNe Day. There were folks from Bolvia, Taiwan and Hungary. They were thrilled at the chance to show some love to the baby goats and lambs in the farm's enclosure. Even visitors from Kenya and Nigeria who are only a few hour's journey from seeing lions, giraffes and hippos were having a ball playing with and brushing a simply adorable group of baby goats which are on loan from a farm in Roxbury, CT.
A Wakeman staffer escorted small groups of excited children and delighted adults into the enclosure where they posed for photos, petted and even did some grooming on the playful, very curious, very friendly baby goats.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
jUNe Day Soccer: UN Team Defeats Westport Football Club, 9-7
Above left the home team, Westport Football Club and right the UN football team.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Anyone thinking the annual Football (Soccer in the US) match between the visiting United Nations team and our Westport Football Club, formerly known as the Westport Late Nights would be a competitive but somewhat casual game would not have expected the intensity of play between these long-time fierce rivals. Tremendous efforts by both clubs resulted in a hard played match with lots of contact and physical play.
The UN team came out strong, scoring 3 goals to zero in the first half. Westport FC fought back hard scoring all of their seven goals in the second half. The efforts were not quite enough as the UN team added another six goals to their first half total of three. Westport's goalie, Brian Kane suffered a game-ending injury early in the second period. After feeling something not right in his leg, he ignored the possible injury and continued to fight. A strong goal kick a few minutes into the second half caused his knee to fail completely and Westport EMS responded to the call, bringing Kane to the hospital where it was determined that he required surgery.
Westport scorers were led by Michael Nowakowski with 3 goals followed by Cat Pavel, who added 2 more. Peter Dorgai and Marius Jasinski each contributed 1 goal. Westport was coached by Damien McClave.
The UN Team scoring was well balanced, led by Harwan from Yemen with 3 goals, followed by AJ from Nigeria/USA, and Marcelo from Brazil scoring 2 goals apiece. Adding 1 goal each were Felipe from Brazil and Marcus from the US.
Aliamane Bacar Said, UN Soccer Team coach, complimented Westport on their fine play. Upon hearing of Kane's injury from WestportLocalPress, coach Said asked to relay his concern and hopes for a speedy recovery for the Westport goalie. Coach Said, who hails from the Comoros Islands also expressed his appreciation for the warm welcome the UN visitors received from the people of Westport.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.