About Hamden's Whitneyville

This Saturday, September 17th, the Whitneyville Branch of the Hamden Library system will be open from 9:30 to 1 p.m. , thanks to the efforts of the Whitneyville Civic Association and the generosity of librarian Nancy McNichol, who has switched her normal scheduled hours and given up a part of her weekend, to make the library available to the community. I love to spend time at a library, so I'm thrilled to have it open for a Saturday morning outing for kids and book lovers of all ages. These Saturday hours will continue through the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We hope it can become a permanent schedule.

The Whitneyville Civic Association is a group of volunteers that work to improve the look and the quality of life in our neighborhood. The request for weekend hours was part of a Top 5 Priority List presented to the Town of Hamden, which includes things like bike lanes for those who want to bike to nearby New Haven, about 1.5 miles from the center of Whitneyville. Mayor Scott Jackson, attending the last Association meeting, remarked how citizens and town officials working together can get things done, despite tight fiscal budgets. It takes vision to improve a community, some creativity and the work of so many volunteers. You can read about the Whitneyville Civic Association at www.Whitneyville.org.

You can visit our library at 125 Carleton Street, corner of Putnam Avenue, one block west from Whitney Avenue. Make sure you thank the librarian!

Looking to move? Looking for an area where you can play tennis?

Catch a baseball game?

Play basketball?

Look no further than Millrock in Hamden, CT. Located just minutes from Downtown New Haven and Yale University, Southern Connecticut State University and Alburtus Magnus College in addition to being walking distance to a shopping district this neighborhood has plenty to offer.

Currently there are some active listings but in this area they never last long! If you would like to see what this neighborhood has to offer, CONTACT ME Night or Day, Day or Night!

Happy Earth Day! After a tough winter, we in Connecticut have been rewarded with an extra month of Spring this year. Everything has greened up at once. We gardeners are thrilled, although, we wonder what is going to be left to bloom. It's only April 22nd, and already we have seen the early rhododendrons, the azaleas, the tulips, the lilacs and even the trees in bloom. We are almost a month ahead of schedule. I don't remember an earlier Spring in the 25 years I have lived in Connecticut. No complaints here, other than lots of sneezing. We love nature's show.

I have been walking around my neighborhood of Whitneyville in Hamden the past hour, enjoying the weather and saying hello to people walking by. A group of Hamden High students is across the street from my office celebrating Earth Day. It reminds me of the first Earth Day, in which I participated, as a student at Wallkill High School in New York State. I was a freshman then (was it really 40 years ago?), and the messages were exhilarating and frightening at the same time. The main message then and now is, we need to be stewards of our planet. The lessons of that day never left me, which is what is so gratifying when I see students participating in Earth Day events.

I hope you enjoy the day. This is Lake Whitney, named after one of our favorite sons, Eli Whitney, the inventor of the cotton gin and assembly line manufacturing. He lived in the neighborhood, and his house still stands about one block away from the lake. Celebrate the beauty of your communities.

Early Fall in Hamden is a magical time. Nature provides the perfect backdrop for our town. We all feel energized by the cool, crisp air. Trees are giving their first hints of the blaze of color that is to follow. (October 15th is peak leaf-peeping time in Hamden). Now is the time to visit the local farms for fresh apples and produce. Hamdenites can also take advantage of two weekly Farmers Markets. In my neighborhood of Whitneyville, there is a new "pocket park" overlooking Lake Whitney. This idyllic spot is sure to please anyone who visits our corner of town.

The spot was made possible by the design of a local architect, Kari Nordstrom working with Town Of Hamden Designer Vince Conte, and Sharron Mitchell. It is located on Lake Street, just behind Books & Company. Pedestrians can grab a cup of coffee and a book, then pick a spot on a bench in the park. The lake and pines provide a soothing and relaxing environment.

This project is an example of how communities can work with their local governments to create open spaces to benefit all. There isn't much land involved here, just a corner with a beautiful view. Hamden is an old town, by American standards, incorporated in 1786. It is fully developed with almost no land available for additional open space. Thanks to people with vision, this spot can become a cherished part of the neighborhood.

The Whitneyville Civic Association (WCA) is a neighborhood association which provides residents and business owners in the Whitneyville community with a voice in civic matters concerning our neighborhood. We organize to maintain and promote the unique social, ecological and historic character of Whitneyville. Members and friends of the WCA meet 6 times each year to share ideas and hear about issues affecting our neighborhood. Please visit our website at www.whitneyville.org for news and meeting schedules.