Ruby Is Right

To The Editor:

Fairfield Hills is an enormous tract of land in the middle of Newtown that should be treasured. Ruby Johnson writes “the town needs land now for a larger police station, swimming pools, playing fields, farmers’ market, cultural arts center, ambulance service, and future fire station, larger senior center, and school facilities for the technologies of tomorrow.” [“Fairfield Hills: Past, Present, And Future,” Letter Hive, 1/21/11] Ruby Johnson is absolutely right. The needs are real and the land exists. We have it. We own it.

Town officials were brave when they bought Fairfield Hills from the state, and future generations will thank them. Those same town officials, and many who followed, were clumsy, to put it charitably, when negotiating price, estimating costs of demolition and abatement, dealing with developers, and leading a skeptical public. But past mistakes do not change the fact that Newtown can still profit by preserving our unique and useful property. It will cost money, but it will not cost as much as giving it away piecemeal to developers whose interests are not in Newtown’s interest.

Justin Scott

Parmalee Hill Road, Newtown                                 January 23, 2011