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DARIEN, Conn. - Darien will have a new senior/community center next year. Improvements to flooding and traffic on Post Road also are among the other changes the town may see in 2013.
The new Mather Community Center is expected to open at Town Hall in early October. It will be at the site of the current school board offices, which will move to 35 Leroy Ave. in April. This project, known as the shuffle, was debated for several years before finally being approved in 2011.
The fate of the old senior center on Edgerton Street remains unknown. A group was formed to come up with a plan to turn it into affordable housing, while other residents have requested it be turned into playing fields. Due to increasing enrollment in the schools, it is possible the school district may make use of the property as well.
The town also will be considering other projects in its upcoming budget cycle. Among these are two large drainage projects on Intervale Road and Kelsey Street. These two streets have been among the most affected by flooding in town, and these projects are expected to help alleviate the problem.
As many Darien residents are aware, traffic often becomes congested on the Post Road. The Southwestern Regional Planning Agency recently completed a comprehensive study on the traffic patterns, and came up with 22 measures that could be implemented that could improve both traffic conditions and safety. At the annual State of the Town address, First Selectman Jayme Stevenson said some of these measures could appear in next year's budget.
There also will be more affordable housing in town next year. The first units in the Allen O'Neill Road development, dubbed the Heights at Darien, are expected to be completed in the spring. The project is set to be completed in 2014, bringing a total of 106 apartments in 24 buildings.
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