www.towntimes.com
Volume 26, Number 28
Friday, October 9, 2020
Changes in store as ski areas prepare for season By Jessica Simms Special to the Record-Journal
Now that summer has come to an end, some may be thinking about the upcoming ski season.
One of the chief Giving Garden organizers, Jen Huddleston, addresses volunteers.
Another bumper crop for Giving Garden Some things can go on, even in the midst of a pandemic. More than 20 volunteers gathered, wearing masks, on Oct. 3, in the Durham Middlefield Giving Garden to mark the end of a second successful growing season. This summer, 1,197 pounds of organic produce were distributed through Durham and Middlefield Social Services and senior centers and Mauro Meadow and Sugarloaf Housing, with overflows going to Middletown’s Amazing Grace Food Pantry and soup kitchen. The star product this growing season was tomatoes, with 364 pounds harvested and distributed. Giving Garden manager Betsy St. John divulged plans for next season, which include a flower patch to be managed by local Girl Scouts. — Submitted
Local ski areas have been working on plans for opening in a way that is healthy and safe. The Connecticut Skiers Association has been meeting with officials at Mount Southington since July to come up with a comprehensive operating plan, said Jay Dougherty, Mount Southington president and general manager. The group has received guidance from the National Skiers Association and the state of Connecticut. “Basically, (Mount Southington) will be limiting capacity,” Dougherty said. “Priority is going to go to our season passholders. We’re not going to make our passholders make reservations or anything like that, but day tickets will be limited.”
Maintenance worker John Galuska cuts through a small tree while clearing brush and overgrowth along the Boomerang trail at Mount Southington, Wednesday, Sept. 30. Dave Zajac, Record-Journal
Along with a “more robust e-store,” Dougherty said that a lot of the food services at Mount Southington will be moved outdoors. “We’re going to have food trucks that will be on site and we’ve purchased additional tables for outdoor seating,” Dougherty said. Dougherty said that it will
be easy for skiers to social distance on the slopes. However, lines to get on the ski lift had to be redesigned and the staff will be cleaning areas such as bathrooms more frequently. “We’re requiring masks and all of the typical COVID-19 protocols,” Dougherty said. See Ski, A16
Park playground renewal pleases all the senses By Bronwyn Commins Special to Town Times
CNN recently published an article entitled “This is What Happens To Your Body After Months in Isolation.” I’ll summarize for you: six effects of extreme isolation, all of them bad. We know isolation is necessary, yet our options in as-
suaging its effects are limited at best. How are we to maintain a semblance of sanity when nearly every source of entertainment and diversion has been stifled in its ability to support the needs of families?
lyn Brook Park. Get your jacket on. We’re heading out.
This is a multisensory experience for the entire family. Remember when when you signed up for band, without having any idea of what inMy counter to the six effects strument you wanted to play? The only thing you did of extreme isolation: six efknow: those percussion infects of exploring the new playground equipment at Al- struments looked way too
daunting. Too many different parts, too much movement … so far from the safety of “Happy Birthday” on your plastic recorder. Rest assured that the next generation of band students will not have the same trepidation in approaching the percussion section, thanks to the musical play equipment at Allyn Brook, includ-
ing a child-friendly set of drums. Bright, colorful, interactive, enough to inspire Animal-from-the-Muppetslevel confidence in drum playing. Stroll a few feet to the left, and you will find a vibrant series of panels that lets young visitors create an outSee Playground, A8