December 07, 2023 / By mobanmarket
GREENWICH, CT — Thanks to the generosity of a local family business and coordination from town officials, the sidewalk that connects Parsonage Cottage Senior Residence with the Nathaniel Witherell campus has been restored, allowing residents to safely traverse the grounds and enjoy the outdoors.
In early November, First Selectman Fred Camillo and Greenwich Communities Chairman Sam Romeo visited Parsonage Cottage. The facility is a property of Greenwich Communities, which is formerly known as the Greenwich Housing Authority.
The topic of the sidewalk, which had fallen into disrepair, was brought up by Parsonage Cottage resident Alice Migliore, who walks the 250 feet nearly every day to visit friends at Nathaniel Witherell.
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“A lot of times I couldn’t walk over because it would flood in certain spots, and there would be terrible holes,” said Migliore, who uses a walker.
However, there was no money available in the budget to fix the sidewalk.
Stamford-based A.Vitti Excavators, which has worked on many projects throughout Greenwich over the years, found out about the need for a new sidewalk and volunteered their services.
On Nov. 27, the sidewalk was repaired free of charge.
On Thursday, Camillo, Romeo, Tony Vitti Sr., Tony Vitti Jr., Migliore, and Parsonage Cottage Executive Director Penny Lore gathered to check out the recently finished sidewalk.
“It’s nice to give something back,” Vitti Jr. said.
Vitti Jr. estimated a similar project would cost around $10,000.
Migliore said Thursday she was grateful to all those involved for getting the sidewalk fixed so quickly. There are plans to install solar lights along the path with benches, too.
“It’s a great connector for the residents of both Parsonage Cottage and Nathaniel Witherell. We encourage and want people to get out there and enjoy the beautiful landscape here, but exercise as well. This will allow them to do that safely,” Camillo said.
“I want to salute the Vitti family. They do great work all around our town, but they also give back to our town and this is a perfect example of it,” Camillo added. “I also want to salute Sam Romeo for always being willing to try and help not only the residents who are residents within Greenwich Communities but also all of Greenwich. He’s certainly a Greenwich treasure. We’re very excited for this.”
Romeo called the new sidewalk “a tremendous improvement” for the residents who use it. He said he has a soft spot for Parsonage Cottage and Nathaniel Witherell, especially because he once served as an ombudsman for the Greenwich Department of Social Services and the two facilities back in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
He noted that when he told the residents that the sidewalk would be fixed free of charge, they were “ecstatic.”
“It makes us feel good that we can do something and contribute back to the community. It’s a win/win for everybody,” Romeo said.
Parsonage Cottage Executive Director Penny Lore thanked the Vittis, Camillo and Romeo on Thursday.
“The establishment of this path is a significant milestone that will provide a safe and accessible route fostering connections between our two communities for many years to come,” Lore said. “Fred Camillo and Sam Romeo’s commitment to this town is commendable.”
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