A Generous Gesture In The Cause Of Open Space

By Steve Bigham

In a way, Mary Burnham has come to symbolize someone who has taken a direct hit from the fast-paced development of Newtown during the 1990s. The view from her home at 24 Walnut Tree Hill Road was forever changed a few years back with the construction of Walnut Tree Village.

Although it is too late to save the land behind her home, Mrs Burnham remains a leader in the town’s efforts to promote land preservation elsewhere. Last week at a Legislative Council meeting, the longtime Newtown resident donated $10,000 for the purpose of purchasing open space. Mrs Burnham had recently received a large sum of money from a legal settlement of a dispute she had with the Walnut Tree Village condominium complex. She hoped the council would follow her example and allocate more money for open space acquisition. Her donation inspired a round of applause from the 100 or so who attended this week’s meeting in the middle school auditorium.

“I look at it hopefully as a seed, but also as a nudge or wakeup call to the council and Board of Selectmen to really take a good hard look at what this town is becoming, and also to the people as to what this town is becoming. Let’s take a good hard look at where we are and where we want to be.”

Mrs Burnham said she believes it is late in the game to preserve open space in Newtown, but it’s not too late.

Mrs Burnham actually won $50,000 in her settlement, $25,000 of which she donated to The Cat Rock Gang, Inc., a New York City non-profit organization that works to rehabilitate gang members. The remaining $15,000 was used to pay for legal fees.

“I forced [Walnut Tree Village developer] Lou DeFilio to do something positive for this town,” Mrs Burnham said. “I could have had them give that $50,000 to me, but this was done on principle. It wasn’t done for my own personal gains because I think they’d done the wrong thing and continue to do the wrong thing. Maybe it was to make something that was very wrong feel a little bit better. I hope this might inspire the council and the town to take a good long look at open space. This town is getting eaten up by development.”

Mrs Burnham, a 1970 college graduate, moved to town with her husband, Jack Bestor, in the early 1970s. They have two grown children, Jason, 23, and Marissa, 20, both of whom are in college. She runs a non-profit child daycare center in New Milford. Prior to that, Mrs Burnham was a teacher in the Westport school system. Mr Bestor still works in the Westport schools as a school psychologist.

“Nothing is going to bring back the land behind my house,” Mrs Burnham said. “My point is, look around your neighborhood. If you’ve got 10 acres of land, watch out.”