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Bring This Town Back to Life

In the Aug. 3 issue, the Courier published an article about the potential age restricted (55-plus) housing units [“Mixed-Use Development Could Come to Hemingway Avenue”]. This would be in addition to the proposed senior housing at the old high school and the six other senior housing units already in East Haven.

East Haven has enough senior housing and should really focus on people of all ages in town, not just the seniors. The seniors have a Community Center whereas the rest of the town does not. The Sunday night concerts on the Green caters to the seniors and music for the younger crowd is never scheduled. Entertainment for the Fall Festival caters to the seniors each year instead of switching it up and offering entertainment that would appeal to various age groups. The mayor hosts a Senior’s Day Picnic every year—I think the rest of us would like a town picnic, too. There is hardly anything at all in this town that would make anyone from another town ever want to come here unless they are a senior.

When one goes into the center of Branford, one sees a vibrant community both day and night. There are shops and restaurants in the center that people of all ages enjoy. Community events are plentiful and varied so that everyone has something to enjoy, such as Woofstock, Jazz on the Green, OHYA Yoga Festival, and the Branford Festival that has fun, current entertainment every year. Branford has a robust Recreation Department and a Community Center that all residents can enjoy, not just one group.

The administration needs to bring this town back to life before it dies completely. East Haven can be a great town, but it has to be a town for all residents, not just one group.

Michele Antisdel

East Haven