Park-Rec offers discounted tickets to see Westchester Knicks on Sunday

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 26, 2023  — The Department of Parks and Recreation is once again teaming up with the Westchester Knicks for an exclusive ticket offer for city families.

The Westchester Knicks play in the NBA's G League and are affiliated with the New York Knicks. The team is composed of former college standouts and NBA draft picks and plays home games at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport.

Game Information

The offer is for discounted tickets for Sunday's game against the Grand Rapids Gold, affiliated with the Denver Nuggets. Tipoff is at 1 p.m.

How It Works

The Westchester Knicks have blocked off two sections in the arena: Section 103 (corner of arena) and Section 104 (center court). Tickets cost $17.50 and $27.50, respectively.

When buying tickets, residents will automatically get the best available seats in the section selected. Those wishing to sit with other families should make one purchase for the number of tickets needed to ensure seats are together. Click on the link below to buy tickets.

Buy Tickets

Information for Coed Free Clinic After the Game

Included with a ticket purchase is a free on-court clinic for children ages 14 and younger. The clinic, instructed by Knicks'  players and coaches, will take place on the court immediately after the game. To participate, click on the link below to sign up. Residents will receive an email confirmation they must show to staff members to join the clinic. Each child will receive a Jr. Knicks T-shirt.

Sign Up for Postgame Clinic

West Haven permanently removing skateboard park on Beach Street

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 24, 2023 — In preparation for the second phase of this year’s road-raising project, the city is permanently removing the Beach Street Skatepark.

On Monday night, the City Council unanimously approved funds to dismantle the shoreline skateboard park. The money was initially approved by the West Haven ARPA Committee and is provided by the city’s American Rescue Plan Act spending plan through a grant from the U.S. Treasury Department.

The city awarded the skatepark contract, called “Demolition of Cement Structures,” in early November to Cerilli Construction LLC, which submitted the lowest bid of $23,525, said Ernie Chiarelli, the project coordinator and sidewalk inspector for the Department of Public Works.

By comparison, Chiarelli said the highest bidder submitted a proposal of $60,800 for the work.

Under the bid specifications, Cerilli, based in North Haven, is tasked with taking apart the park’s huge precast concrete ramps, removing the remaining asphalt, transporting the demolished concrete and asphalt to a location determined by the city, and removing and reinstalling the existing chain-link fencing.

The 170-by-90-foot park was constructed in 2004 for $96,000 by Skate Parks Inc. of Scituate, Massachusetts, and is based in the Morse Park municipal parking lot next to the former Chick’s Drive-in restaurant.

According to Chiarelli and other city officials, the 19-year-old skatepark has fallen into disrepair and out of popularity in recent years. Vandalism has caused dangerous conditions for skateboarders, and flooding from the nearby Old Field Creek salt marsh has deteriorated the concrete ramps, making them a liability, he said.

In addition, the raising of Beach Street is slated to incorporate 25% of the skatepark along the fence line and would force the city to relocate the park.

Chiarelli said that according to estimates, relocating the skatepark would cost at least $60,000, not including surface preparation work, such as installing an asphalt pad and fencing.

But after consulting with contractors, Chiarelli said the city determined that relocating the park could not work because the concrete ramps would likely fall apart when moved “due to concrete degradation.”

The demolition work is expected to begin within two weeks and take about 10 days to complete.

West Haven residents must bring leaf bags to compost site until April 15

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 24, 2023 — Residents are reminded that leaf bag pickup ended Dec. 15.

The city will not pick up leaf bags until the curbside service resumes the week of April 15.

Until then, residents must bring all leaf bags — paper, no plastic — to the compost site, 1 Kimberly Ave., from 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Proof of residence is required.

The 2023 pickup schedule for leaf bags is April 15-June 1 and Oct. 1-Dec. 15.

West Haven Valentine’s Day party honoring couples married 50 years

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 24, 2023 — For the first time in three years, the city will honor West Haven couples who have been married for at least 50 years with an in-person Valentine’s Day party, Mayor Nancy R. Rossi announced.

The coronavirus pandemic had temporarily forced the city to reinvent its decades-old Valentine’s Day tradition by organizing back-to-back alternative events that celebrated the holiday of love from the safety of couples’ homes. While the events were welcomed and kept the tradition alive, they were not the same, Rossi said.

With that socially distanced reinvention now history, the city will play Cupid for the 33rd straight year by holding its Valentine’s Day party, complete with entertainment, dancing and refreshments, at the West Haven Senior Center, 201 Noble St.

At noon Feb. 14, Rossi will recognize those sweethearts who have reached the half-century mark and beyond with chocolates and roses from the mayor’s office.

The two-hour party will include live music and hors d’oeuvres.

Rossi will also recognize the oldest and youngest couples.

For reservations, call Elderly Services Director Alyssa Maddern at 203-937-3507 by Feb. 8.

Residents learn ‘what goes in the blue bin, what doesn’t’

WEST HAVEN, Jan. 20, 2023 — A standing room-only crowd of more than 100 residents participated in a free recycling workshop at City Hall on Jan. 19 to learn “what goes in the blue bin and what doesn’t.”

Mayor Nancy R. Rossi, a staunch supporter of recycling, greeted the crowd before introducing guest speaker Sherill Baldwin of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, who led the “What’s In, What’s Out” workshop with DEEP’s Emma MacDonald in the Harriet C. North Community Room.

“The city has recently received many questions regarding trash and recycling, and I hope this workshop will help clarify what goes in the blue bin and what doesn’t,” Rossi said. “Sherill is a knowledgeable professional, and I am glad she is here to join us tonight.”

Baldwin, an environmental analyst at DEEP since 2008, has been involved in sustainable materials management for 37 years. MacDonald, a 2021 graduate of UConn who earned a bachelor’s degree in sustainable forest resources, has been an environmental analyst at DEEP’s sustainable materials management office since June 2022.

Baldwin and MacDonald focused their 90-minute PowerPoint presentation on recycling education. They also discussed various recycling do’s and don’ts with residents, including the steps before putting acceptable items into recycling bins.

“Empty, clean, rinse and repeat for each item,” they said. “Do not shred, box or bag items.”

“In” recyclables include: paper and cardboard items, such as newspapers, magazines, food and beverage cartons, mixed paper and flattened boxes; glass items, such as bottles and jars; metal items, such as food and beverage cans, aluminum foil and foil containers; and plastic items, such as jugs, tubs and lids.

“Out” recyclables include: plastic bags and plastic wrap (return to retailer); food and liquid (empty all containers); clothing and linens (use donation programs); tanglers (no hoses, wires, chains or electronics); and combustibles (no propane tanks, batteries or nonfood-grade aerosol cans, such as spray paint and pesticides).

The informative workshop included a Q&A session and was attended by City Council members Robbin Watt Hamilton, D-5, Victor M. Borras, D-8, Robert Bruneau, D-9, Gary Donovan, D-at large, and Colleen O’Connor, R-at large.

Participants received a green food scrap bin from members of the city’s recycling management team, including Grant Coordinator Doug Colter and assistant grant writer Olivia Bissanti, who organized the workshop. They were joined by team volunteers Lilia Rodriguez and Natalie Roach.

Public Works Commissioner Tom J. McCarthy, who also spoke, and Pamela Roach, the city’s waste and energy consultant, raffled off Dunkin’ gift cards and reusable tote bags.

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