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Needs Some Help
The bandstand at Rotary Park needs a new roof. Parks and Rec Director Willie Bousquet said the town has painted spots on it about a half dozen times. More photos of Rotary Park on page 5. Linda Lemmon photo.
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — The town is looking for federal funding to repair the bandstand roof, Kennedy Drive and bridges, according to Mayor Barney Seney.
U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney said there are federal funds available for shovel ready and visible projects in his district. Putnam applied for funds to replace the 17-year-old bandstand roof and Mayor Seney said he’s also looking for $1.3 million to renovate Kennedy Drive, the whole length of it. It would involve grinding down the road surface and rebuilding it from the ground up.
Perhaps before the end of the year, according to Parks and Recreation Director willie Bousquet, the bandstand at Rotary Park, will have a new roof.
The shingles on the sunny sides of the bandstand have taken quite a beating and the town would like to replace it with a metal roof. Etimates for that project are in the $50,000 range.
Seney said another project high on the town’s list is erosion control at Simonzi Park. “I think we’ll have to look elsewhere for funding for that project."
He said the town has spent $1.2 million in taxpayers’ money to repair/replace bridges in the last three years. But more bridges that need attention, he added. The town has a half million dollar grant to fix the East Putnam Road bridge that crosses Cady Brook and the Five Mile River bridge on Five Mile River Road. Those are on tap for this year and the town’s Inland Wetlands Commission approved those projects last week.
He said the town is looking for grant money for two more bridges in need of repair: East Putnam Road crossing Mary Brown Brook and the bridge on Danco Road. Danco Road is truly in need, he said. It was inspected this year and the weight limit had to be reduced to 5 tons. It is down to one lane. Design for the project is done this year and “we hope to build next year,” he said. He said it’s looking like it would take $2 million and that would be a 50-50 split between state and town. Large trucks cannot cross, he said, so deliveries to businesses on Danco are offloaded with fork lifts and taken to the businesses.
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