Recreation

Kayaks and Paddleboards Available to Rent at Weed Beach This Summer

Tree Conservancy of Darien Sponsors Two-Hour ‘Forest Bathing’ Walk on Saturday

Your Ideas Wanted in Online Survey About Darien’s Needs for Parks & Recreation

Have Some Family Fun at the STAR Walk, 5K Run & Roll in Westport on Sunday

Darien Road Race on Sunday to Temporarily Clog These Roads

UPDATE: NOW CANCELLED: Darien Groups Organize Boat/Camp Day

BREAKING: Pokémon Go Monsters Invade Darien — Cops to Assist with Citizens’ Arrests

An Improvement Coming to Darienites’ Northernmost Swimming Spot — New Canaan’s Waveny Pool

Register Early for May, June Free Fly Fishing Classes at Orvis Store in Darien

Darien Beach Permits Available Online and at Town Hall

RTM Postpones Vote on Hecker Ave Property to Get More Information

Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Norwalk Sunday, Oct 4

Ten Things You Can Do with the Kids on Monday’s Holiday

Hundreds to Run Sunday in Annual Darien Road Race

Darien Arts Center Open House: 1 to 4 PM Sunday

By David Gurliacci | May 18, 2017

Community Organizations

By David Gurliacci | May 15, 2017

Government & Politics

By David Gurliacci | May 7, 2017

Community Organizations

By David Gurliacci | May 2, 2017

Community Organizations

By David Gurliacci | September 9, 2016

Outdoors

By David Gurliacci | July 27, 2016

Around Town

By David Gurliacci | July 18, 2016

Recreation

By David Gurliacci | April 20, 2016

Outdoors

By David Gurliacci | April 15, 2016

Government & Politics

By David Gurliacci | March 12, 2016

Government & Politics

By David Gurliacci | February 22, 2016

Beyond Darien

By David Gurliacci | September 30, 2015

Holidays

By David Gurliacci | September 13, 2015

Community Organizations

By David Gurliacci | September 9, 2015

Around Town

By David Gurliacci | September 9, 2015

Residents of Darien residents can now can rent kayaks and paddleboarding at Weed Beach, starting Memorial Day weekend and continuing through the summer. The partnership between the Darien Parks & Recreation Department and Downunder LLC, will begin on Memorial Day Weekend. Colorful kayaks and paddle boards will be lined up on the beachfront from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for weekends until June 18 (two days after the last day of Darien schools and a day after Weed Beach Fest) and then daily through Labor Day. “This is an idea that has been kicked around for quite a few years and we are proud to have made it a reality this year,” said Pamela Gery, Darien Parks and Recreation Director. In addition to rentals, Downunder will also have paddleboard yoga classes.

Forest Bathing Tree Conservancy of Darien three 05-15-17

Tree Conservancy of Darien is hosting a Shinrin-Yoku walk, open to the community, with certified nature and forest therapy guide, Jeffrey Wyant. The Saturday, May 20 walk will benefit TCD, whose goals include educating the community about the value of trees and their care. The fee for participating in the walk is $20, and reservations are required at the Tree Conservancy website, since the walk is limited to 15 people. Shinrin-yoku, which developed in the 1980s in Japan, is translated into English as “forest bathing.” Scientific studies have shown that Shinrin-yoku walks can lower blood pressure, reduce stress levels, and increase a sense of well being among participants.

Online Parks and Recreation survey 05-07-17

What should Darien’s parks and recreation services look like in the future, and how should they change to better serve the town’s residents? Town officials want to know and have set up this online survey open to all residents to benefit from your ideas and judgment. The survey is part of a town-government commissioned “Parks and Recreation Needs Assessment” as part of an effort to update the existing parks and recreation master plan. The online survey for town residents was live online as of Friday, May 5, 2017. A survey is also being mailed to all 3,500 Darien households, so responses don’t have to be online.

Star Walk 5K Run & Roll image from Star Lighting the Way 05-02-17

The 12th Annual STAR Walk, 5K Run & Roll will be held at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport, CT on Sunday, May 7, 2017. The “Walk” includes a Family Fun Day celebration and fundraiser to benefit individuals who have intellectual disabilities and programs offered by STAR, Inc., Lighting the Way. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the Walk kick-off is 10 a.m., with a 1K walking route suitable for any ability (walkers, strollers, wheelchairs and baby joggers are welcome) and an officially-timed 5K Run along the site’s shoreline and pathways. Attendees can enjoy continental breakfast and grilled hot dogs for lunch as well as music, crafts, kids’ fun bus, face-painting, balloon sculpting, yard games, nature center exhibit, and children’s obstacle course. About 800 walkers and volunteers are expected to attend including a traditional array of local celebrities and political leaders.

Expect short-term delays and some detours Sunday, Sept. 11, along a short stretch of the Post Road and streets between it and Pear Tree Point Beach, as an expected 700 runners participate in the annual Darien Road Race. Here’s an announcement from Darien police about traffic delays and detours:
The annual Darien Road Race will be held on Sunday, September 11, 2016 at 1 p.m. The road race, hosting approximately 700 runners, will start at Pear Tree Point Beach and proceed to Long Neck Point Road, Rings End Road, Harbor Road, eastbound on Post Road, Old Kings Highway South, Andrews Drive, Red Coat Pass, Tory Hole Road, Sunswyck Road, Goodwives River Road, and back to Pear Tree Point Beach. Motorists and residents of the area are advised to expect short term delays and detours along the race route. Officers will be positioned along the route to facilitate the flow of traffic and the safety of the runners.

Update, 7:25 p.m., Thursday:

Boat/Camp for this year has been cancelled due to expected bad weather. Original article, Wednesday:

Boat/Camp/2016 will be sponsored by the Darien Sail & Power Squadron, with significant help from volunteers from the Darien Boat Club, Noroton Yacht Club, and Person-To-Person. This event introduces local under-privileged children to the beauty of Long Island Sound, utilizing the resources and good will of the Squadron and our boating friends. _________

— an announcement from the organizers of Boat/Camp/2016

_________

Now in its twentieth year, Boat/Camp/2016 will see over 100 campers and counselors involved, a fleet of more than 20 boats, and the participation of many, many volunteers from the boating community and the Squadron. Volunteers participate is any of several ways (and more are always needed!):

as boat “captains” – volunteers from the local boating community provide powerboats over 18 feet with at least a six-person capacity
as on-board boat “crew” – we staff at least one adult on board in addition to the captain
as on-shore logistical support — our volunteers distribute supplies, make the kids feel comfortable when “jacketing-up” on shore, and as “escorts” in the first adventure of the day — getting the Campers down to the docks and on-board the fleet of boats that are awaiting them.

The Darien Police Department has just issued this bulletin on the Pokemon Go monsters now occupying various locations in our fair town. Police urge citizens to take appropriate precautions and are offering assistance with efforts to capture the invasive species:
The Pokémon Go phenomenon sweeping the globe has not left the Town of Darien untouched. Our officers have observed small groups of smartphone equipped “trainers” traversing the town in search of Pokéballs and rare Pokémon creatures. It is refreshing to see teens and young adults meeting up to get outside and explore Darien. “Catching ‘em all” takes concentration, but it is important to remember that our world has many more dangers than those found in the Pokémon universe. The New York City Police Department recently issued some helpful tips to help Pokémon Go enjoy a safe playing experience:

Be alert at all times
Stay aware of your surroundings
Play in pairs or as a group to ensure your safety
Do not drive or ride your bike, skateboard, or other device while interacting with the app…You can’t do both safely. Do not trespass onto private property or go to areas you usually would not if you weren’t playing Pokémon Go. Be aware and tell your kids about “stranger-danger”.

New Canaan officials on Tuesday approved a plan to install water heaters for the upcoming season at Waveny Pool — a widely anticipated amenity at the popular facility. Most of the 100 non-residents who buy pool passes at Waveny, just over the Darien-New Canaan border, are from Darien. The Board of Selectmen by a 3-0 vote approved a $15,000 contract between the New Canaan Department of Public Works and Danbury-based Mitchell Gas to install two 1,000-gallon tanks to serve the main pool at Waveny, and a 250-gallon tank for the kiddie pool, according to Joe Zagarenski, senior engineer with the DPW. The funds had been part of an allowance that came with the Waveny Pool’s original approval, he said. The heaters are to be delivered this week and the water should be heated in time for the Waveny Pool’s Memorial Day weekend opening, Recreation Director Steve Benko said during the selectmen’s regular meeting, held at Town Hall.

Take a free “Fly Fishing 101” class from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday in May and early June through June 18 at the Orvis store in Darien, right next to Trader Joe’s. (The April classes are already filled up.)

According to a sign (pictured here) in front of the store at 432 Post Road: “Perfect for Beginners! Learn fly casting and rigging.” Register for one of the Saturday classes in May by clicking on the dates here. Here’s what the Darien store’s Web page on the Orvis website has to say about the class, and the advanced classes also offered by the store:

Fly Fishing 101 & 201
Class spaces are limited. Call or stop by to reserve a spot or sign up online now.

You can get your beach permit now from the Darien Parks and Recreation Department. Beach/Park Permit and Boat launch applications were included in the Spring and Summer brochure which was mailed out to all Darien households the last week of February. The Parks and Recreation Department is currently accepting applications for beach permits. Stickers are available to Darien residents and taxpayers only. Proof of residency must be presented in the form of current motor vehicle registration to Darien address. ___________

— an announcement from the Darien Parks & Recreation Department

___________

Avoid standing in line!!! Simply purchase your permit online at http://ereg.darienct.gov or print out the application below and drop it in the mail with a copy of the DMV registration for each vehicle. We will quickly process your application and mail your permit(s) to you. Please note that all applications processed prior to April 4 will be mailed the week of April 4. Application instructions appear in the 2016 Spring and Summer brochure. Please call the Parks and Recreation Department at 203-656-7325 for more information. 2016 Beach Permit Application

TYPE OF PERMIT
COST OF PERMIT

Resident*
$45

Senior Resident
Free (1 per family)

Non-Resident Taxpayer
$75

Summer Residents
$100

Daily Beach Pass
$40

Boat Launch
$45

Daily Boat Launch
$65

*To qualify for a resident pass, the car must be registered in Darien. If the car is owned by a Darien resident and registered in a town other than Darien, the cost is $75 for the car. Beach/Park Permit and Boat launch stickers are required from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day at Pear Tree Beach and mid-April through early October at Weed Beach (or when gatehouses are staffed). No one is permitted to enter the facilities without the proper permit.

Update 10:27 p.m.:

A vote on the proposed purchase of the strip of land along the back of Spring Grove Cemetery was postponed by the Representative Town Meeting on Monday night in order to get more information. RTM members wanted to know more about what flood-mitigation measures would be allowed or forbidden under an easement with the Darien Land Trust, which was providing half the financing for the purchase in return for keeping the land as natural open space. The proposal was removed from the agenda without discussion at Monday night’s meeting. Original article: 6:06 p.m.:

A proposal to buy about 1.24 acres of land between Hecker Avenue and Town Hall is on the agenda for Monday night’s meeting of the Representative Town Meeting. The land may be used as a public park, barely developed, for the public to use in walking between Town Hall and Hecker Avenue at a spot just to the north of Darien Police Headquarters and Darien Library.

The Fairfield County Walk to End Alzheimer’s will take place on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015 from 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk, CT. _______________

An announcement from theAlzheimer’s Association Connecticut Chapter:

_______________

Registration for the annual event, sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association Connecticut Chapter, continues to break records and (as of Sept. 22) counts 200 teams and 887 walkers who have raised $163,000 to date. Participants of all ages and abilities are invited to register for free online or via phone 860-828-2828 and help reclaim the future for millions.

Here are several things to do for the kids and teens on Monday while Darien Public Schools, along with a number of other schools in the area, are closed for the Jewish New Year holiday of Rosh Hashanah. ONE: STAMFORD MUSEUM & NATURE CENTER — FALL BREAK OUT DAY:
Habitat, Habitat
Monday, September 14, 11 am – 3 pm
No school? No problem! Join us for a day of special programs and self-guided activities for all ages. Explore the places that animals live, both local and across the globe.

About 500 runners are expected for the 2015 Darien Road Race, starting at about 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13 at Pear Tree Point Beach (where it will also end up). Runners can expect some fun and hope for an award and drivers in the area can expect temporary delays. In an announcement Wednesday, Darien police (who gave the estimate of 500 runners) said: “Motorists and residents of the area are advised to expect short-term delays and detours along the race route. Officers will be positioned along the route to facilitate the flow of traffic and the safety of the runners.” Here’s most of the announcement, somewhat rewritten, from the race’s organizers, the Community Fund of Darien, which uses this event as a fundraiser:

Where it takes place and how to enter

The race route, which stretches along scenic waterfront roads, includes two events, a 10-kilometer (6.2 miles) and a 1.5 mile fun run called “The Loop.” The 1.5 mile fun run starts at 1 p.m.; the 10K starts at 1:30 p.m. Following each race, awards will be presented to the runners with the fastest finish times.

« August 2022 »

An announcement from Darien Arts Center:

As part of the ongoing celebration of its 40th anniversary year, the Darien Arts Center is hosting an Open House on Sunday, Sept. 13 from 1 to 4 p.m.

All ages are invited to participate in mini-classes in dance, visual arts and music, find out about programs, meet DAC board members and faculty, and enjoy music performed by DAC music teachers. Birthday cake will be served in celebration of its 40th year. Information will be provided, including show dates and participation and volunteer opportunities, for those interested in their community theatre group, DAC Stage, the Annual Darien Art Show and Sale, and other programs.

Complimentary mini-classes include preschool and hip hop dance, martial arts, piano, a singing class for tweens, and a printmaking project for all ages. Cake will be served during the birthday celebration with music performed by music department faculty.