Thursday, April 17, 2014

Connecticut: Bethany Airport soon to become community center

BETHANY >> Construction plans for the Bethany Airport Community Center are finally taking off, following eight years of committee meetings, fundraising, approvals and a bit of small-town political haggling.

Airport Renovation Committee Chairman Art Slicer said the center, which includes a 7,000-square-foot activity room, kitchen, patio area, and small airport museum is scheduled to be completed by the end of summer.

“It’s one of the most historic pieces of property in Bethany and one of the most important properties in aviation,” Slicer said.

The old, rusted original hangar at the historic airport will be torn down in the coming days, and the new main center building will be shaped like a replica of the hangar.

The structure had help coming down Tuesday when the light dusting of spring snow caused the middle of the hangar to cave.

“It’s an omen,” Slicer said.

Slicer said the huge community room will serve diverse activities — dances, theater productions, dinners, children’s events, weddings, or anything that needs that kind of space.

It will be the kind of setting that could shelter tents full of camping Boy Scouts in the event of rain and the next day, a basketball game.

First Selectwoman Derrylyn Gorski said, “It’s nice to see all the efforts come to fruition.”

Gorski said the project is “excellent” and will provide much-needed public space for large public gatherings and recreational activities. Some activities will bring in fees, she said.

“It will be a nice place,” she said. “Several businesses are looking forward to it because it will bring more people into town.”

Aside from all the potential new uses, Gorski said it will be nice to get rid of that “rusting, hulk” of a building right on Route 63.

The airport property has been deemed historic and the hangar a landmark. The old marque at the entrance of the hangar has been shipped to the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, where it will become part of a display.

The property, home to many local carnivals and horse events, will still serve that purpose as the airport property is 100 acres, and the community center will relatively be like a “postage stamp on a world map,” Slicer said.

The project is estimated to cost $2 million and so far, about $700,000 has been secured in grants and donations. No taxpayer money is being used to fund the project.

Slicer said there are additional grant applications in the works and the committee has launched a local fundraising drive appealing to businesses and residents for donations. He said the local campaign includes mailings and house to house solicitation.

They will also appeal to major corporations and hold fundraising events that will include merchandising of hats, T-shirts and other items.

The airport opened in 1923 and is one of the oldest in New England, although it hasn’t been used as an airport since the mid-1960s. Most of the airplanes kept there were privately owned, but sometimes cargo planes, including those run by American Airlines, flew in. It also was a hub for early aerial advertising. One of the hangars had “Welcome to the U.S.A., Bethany Conn.” as the airport was sometimes seen from the sky by those on international flights.

Charles Lindbergh landed on the property in 1927.

To donate to the project, send checks to the Town of Bethany, 40 Peck Road, Bethany, CT, 06524. For more information contact Gorski’s office at 203-393-2100, ext. 100.

Story. photo and comments/reaction:    http://www.nhregister.com


(Peter Hvizdak - New Haven Register) 
Bethany resident Art Slicer, right front, with (left to right) David Gewirtz, Kathy Barone, Bethany First Selectman Derrylyn Gorski, Vincent Cofrancesco and Bethany Director of Parks & Recreation, are turning the historic Bethany Airport into a recreational center. Saturday April 12, 2014