Winsted’s recreation areas get a face-lift

Basketball courts painted in time for charity tournament

WINSTED — Cooler temperatures drew families to the Rowley Street playground Thursday, and Recreation Director Tanya Rasucci was there, too, hanging fliers at the basketball court announcing an 11-team tournament set for Saturday.

“I just want to let people know the tournament’s going on,” she said, fastening a flier to the back of the baskeball hoop frame near the entrance to the recreation area. “People can come here anytime, but if we’re having an event, they should know about it.”

Winsted, along with every other town in the

state, closed its recreation areas at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in March to prevent people from gathering. Now that restrictions have eased, people are coming back to the fields and playground.

Things are getting back to normal, Rasucci said, and some refurbishing of the popular areas of the recreation fields was completed in recent weeks to welcome back residents. The basketball courts’ surfaces are a navy blue with bright white lines, and the nearby tennis courts have been resurfaced and painted.

“The Gaylord-Tiffany Foundation paid to have the basketball courts repainted,” she said. “The foundation also paid half of the cost of paving. They shared it with the town.

“We’re doing a benefit men’s basketball tournament this weekend for a guy who lost his home in a fire in June,” Rasucci said. “There are 11 men’s teams signed up. Referees are volunteering their time and the proceeds from the team registration will go to the family.”

At the request of residents, Rasucci is adding lines on a portion of the tennis courts for pickleball, another popular outdoor game.

The Rowley Street fields include the Gaylord-Tiffany Building and Playground, a basketball court, GaylordTiffany Field, the Senior Farm Field and Ryan Field. Willow Street features the Hanley “Little League” Field, Dodge Field, Walker Field, Walker Field Grandstand, and two tennis courts. Willow Street also houses the Recreation Department maintenance facility.

Rasucci said people are, for the most part, respectful of the facilities provided to residents in town, but litter this year has been a big problem. Her comment was illustrated a moment later when she picked up a discarded Gatorade bottle on the ground, just a few feet away from a trash can. “People just drop stuff,” she said.

The town beaches are also having a problem with litter. Rasucci said lifeguards, who are charged with keeping people safe while swimming at Highland Lake, now are dealing with litter — cigarette butts, bottles and cans and other trash, which is left behind after hours, she said. The beach is open with lifeguards until 6 p.m.

“The lifeguards don’t get paid to do (clean up), but they help out,” she said.

Beach parking passes sold out a week ago. This week, the town installed “No Parking” signs in the former Taylor Brook Park area on West Wakefield Boulevard. Rasucci said they were put up because so many visitors parked on either side of the road that it became “one way,” making it difficult for traffic to get through.

“Please be advised that the no parking areas do not include the spots in this location that have historically been utilized by residents and lake guests. Visitors can still park in the prior non-grassy parking area,” officials said on the web page.

A nine-member Board of Recreation assists Rasucci. The board sets broad-based policy and meets the first Wednesday of the month. The board meetings are open, and the public is invited to attend.

Rasucci is responsible for planning, implementing and coordinating yearround programs for children, adults and families and organizing community events. In addition to its program offerings, the Winchester Recreation Department works with volunteers, nonprofits and private sector organizations to provide a variety of community-based recreation activities.

While many towns canceled their summer camps, Winsted went ahead with a modified camp program at the Pearson School, where children could be better accommodated, Rasucci said. “The Board of Education was kind enough to let us use the school this year,” she said. “We’re maxed out at 30 kids.”

For information on recreation programs and regulations, go to www.townofwinchester. org/recreation.

Emily M. Olson / Hearst Connecticut Media A mother and child enjoy the playground in Winsted.

The repainted basketball court in Winsted.

Emily M. Olson / Hearst Connecticut Media Winsted’s tennis courts have been completely resurfaced, and will have a line for pickleball as well as tennis by next week.