What’s going on in your part of Greenwich
Cos Cob
In celebration of its recent acquisition of a Childe Hassam painting of “The Red Mill Cos Cob,” the Greenwich Historical Society will host a special exhibit called “Lost Landscape Revealed.”
The exhibit will explore Cos Cob’s American Impressionist Art Colony at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and the role the town played in the development of American art.
“Lost Landscape Revealed” will look at how Hassam, one of America’s foremost Impressionist painters, and fellow artists, including Elmer MacRae and Kerr Eby, captured the waterfront community known as Cos Cob’s Lower Landing. Through paintings, photographs and artifacts this one-time busy mercantile district will be brought to life.
“This is an exciting opportunity to debut an exceptional painting that speaks to the atmosphere and surroundings that attracted Hassam and many other noted artists to Cos Cob,” said Maggie Dimock, the historical society’s curator of exhibitions and collections. “Cos Cob was once at the center of Impressionism in America when Hassam, and other artists like John Henry Twachtman, Theodore Robinson and Elmer MacRae gathered at Holley House, now the BushHolley House, to paint and teach.”
“The Red Mill Cos Cob” depicts a view across the Cos Cob Harbor toward the Palmer & Duff shipyard, which one stood on a peninsula in the Mianus River opposite the Holley boardinghouse. The “Red Mill” of Hassam’s title was not in fact a mill, but rather a large twostory building used by Palmer & Duff workers for sail-making and ship carpentry.
In its heyday in the mid-1800s, Palmer & Duff built commercial sailing vessels for transporting farm products to New York City. The exhibition will feature several pieces of artwork from the Greenwich Historical Society’s collections presenting views of the same shipyard over time, painted by MacRae, as well as artwork by Hassam and others depicting other scenes from the Holley House and the Lower Landing.
“Lost Landscape Revealed: Childe Hassam and The Red Mill, Cos Cob” will be on view from Jan. 16 to March 28. To view the exhibit, tickets must be reserved in advance by visiting www.greenwichhistory.org/visit.
Members of the Greenwich Historical Society are invited to enjoy preview days from Jan. 13 to Jan. 15. For more information on becoming a member and to reserve tickets, visit www.greenwichhistory.org.
Downtown
The Retired Men’s Association of Greenwich, which hosts free weekly webinars, will this week welcome as its speaker Michael Mason, chair of the town’s Board of Estimate and Taxation.
The topic of Mason’s talk will be “Budget Challenges for the Town of Greenwich Fiscal Year 2022.” In the talk, Mason will discuss the role of the BET in the community and the issues to address for the fiscal year 2022.
The free webinar will begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan 6. To watch, log on to: https://bit.ly/30IBj21
The BET is responsible for “the proper administration of the financial affairs of the town, including the issuance of the annual recommended budget and setting the town tax mill rate. The board also acts on requests for additional appropriations,” according to the town.
Mason has served on the BET in various capacities since 2004 and was elected chairman in 2017. He began serving the town in 1992 as a member of the Representative Town Meeting.
Principal owner of Westchester Aeronautical Corp., Mason has been past master of the Acacia Masonic Lodge, trustee of the Greenwich Boat and Yacht Club, member of the Amergerone Volunteer Fire Company and the Greenwich High School PTA.
The RMA’s mission is to provide fellowship, support services to the community and encourage volunteerism. Part of its community service involves free lectures open to the public, which are offered via a webinar at 11 a.m. every Wednesday. For information, visit www.greenwichrma.org or contact info@greenwichrma.org.
Old Greenwich
District 6 of the Representative Town Meeting is looking to fill one vacancy on the board.
In order to be eligible for the opening, a candidate must be a resident of District 6, which covers Old Greenwich. Residents who are not sure if they live in the district can check their voter registration on the town’s website at www.greenwichct.gov.
Candidates for the RTM must also be registered voters in town. The RTM is a nonpartisan body and candidates can be registered as a Republican, a Democrat, a third party or unaffiliated as long as they are registered in town.
Whoever fills the vacancy in District 6 will serve out the rest of the two-year term. They can then choose whether to run for reelection in the November 2021 municipal election.
Anyone from District 6 who is interested in the opening should contact Chairman Candace Garthwaite at garthwaitertm@gmail.com or 203-698-1714.
Greenwich
The Parks and Recreation office has revised the dates of the youth indoor sports programs beginning in January.
The specific dates for each program have been adjusted to comply with the state of Connecticut’s “pause” on sports, which is in effect through Jan. 19 due to COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, participation numbers are limited and safety precautions, such as wearing masks and social distancing, are required.
As part of the “pause,” the town has closed all public athletic fields to recreational activities, team sports, and personal through Jan. 19.
To continue to safely operate youth sports, the Parks and Recreation Department is asking for the cooperation of all participants in following the rules. Also, should the town cancel any programs, refunds will be provided.
The dates have been adjusted for indoor sports programs. Those already registered should have received an email from Parks and Recreation regarding the new dates of the programs. Updated registration flyers are found below and on the Parks and Recreation website.
Girls ages 7 to 14 can participate in Softball Clinics held indoors at the EGCC beginning in late January. And boys ages 7 to 10 can participate in an Indoor Baseball Clinic held on Saturdays at the EGCC beginning in late January.
The Parks and Recreation Office at Town Hall is open to the public weekdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. only. Most business can be done online or office staff can be reached by email.
Updated registration flyers with program information can be found on the Parks and Recreation website at www.greenwichct.gov / 149/Parks-Recreation.