Middletown On the Move Update

PRESS RELEASE

April 27, 2016

Middletown on the Move needs your help! Public survey, call for photos, and save-the-dates for upcoming events.

“Hearing directly from the people who live in these neighborhoods is the only way the City can make investments that will have the greatest positive community impact,” said Middletown Mayor Daniel T. Drew, “and the City appreciates any information that residents can provide.”  The City, with its Middletown on the Move initiative, is asking residents to get involved in the planning and improvement of their neighborhood.  Residents can visit www.middletownctonthemove.com or check out our Facebook page facebook.com/middletownctonthemove/.  On the website, visitors can take a short survey to share a bit about who they are, what they do for recreation, and how their neighborhood can be improved.  This survey will supplement the resident survey conducted last Fall.

A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words

Is there a particular place in the City you love to visit, walk or ride your bike? Do you have concerns about a particular intersection, local park, building or sidewalk?  Share your experiences with a photo and add your voice to it if you like! 

§  Post to Facebook, and then share with the Middletown on the Move page

§  Post to Instagram, Picasa, Flickr or any other photo sharing website, and use the tag #MiddletownCTontheMove

§  E-mail your photos to: Patrice.Barrett@MiddletownCT.Gov

Save the Dates

The City is hosting a series of events to help engage residents in planning for brownfield redevelopment and neighborhood improvement.

Brownfield Bus Tours

Saturday, May 14, 2016

10 am - 12 pm and 1 - 3 pm

There will be two identical tours.  Space is limited, reserve your space today.  Join Middletown on the Move Staff to learn about brownfield redevelopment opportunities, and how these underutilized properties can become neighborhood recreation assets. To reserve a spot, register on line at www.middletownctonthemove.com/events  

Open Houses and Public Forums in 3 neighborhoods

Drop by any time during an open house to share your ideas and learn about Middletown on the Move.  Explore different ways to make small public spaces more fun and active and about health issues in your community.  Plenty of games, activities and information for the whole family!

Discussions during the open houses will help shape the conversation during the public forums in the evenings and address brownfield redevelopment opportunities, neighborhood concerns, and steps the City is taking to improve the quality of life in Middletown.

Downtown - Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Open House from 11 am to 3 pm

·       Riverview Center Terrace (located between the Police Department and Amici Grille)

Forum from 7 pm to 9 pm

·       deKoven House – 27 Washington St

North End - Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Open House from 11 am to 3 pm

                  And Forum from 7 – 9pm

·       Both at Middletown Community Health Center - 675 Main St.

·       Visit a pop-up park across the street at Main and Grand during the Open House!

South End - Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Open House from 1 – 3 pm and Public Forum from 7 -9 PM

·       Both at Middletown Senior Center - 61 Durant Pl

For more information, contact Patrice Barrett at Patrice.Barrett@MiddletownCT.Gov or at 860-638-4836

About Middletown on the Move:

Middletown on the Move is a grant project funded by the Centers for Disease Control ATSDR division and looks at specific redevelopment opportunities in Middletown’s Downtown, North End, and South End neighborhoods to create greener, healthier places to live and work.  The goals are to develop: a healthier environment, a network of streets and recreational spaces where people can safely walk, ride, play, shop, and dine, a stronger economy, and more vibrant neighborhoods.

The City is planning many ways to get Middletown moving, including investments in existing parks and open space, riverfront development, and exploring ways to improve connectivity throughout the City. Middletown on the Move is building on these efforts by working with residents to develop new recreational opportunities on currently underused brownfield properties.

Why does the City care about reusing brownfields and increasing opportunities for active living? Recently, in 436 Middletown children ages 3 to 5, 30% were overweight or obese. A major contributor to childhood obesity is a lack of safe outdoor space to play and be active. The three target neighborhoods have a median income 43% lower than Middletown as a whole (US Census). Poverty can be an indicator of poor health, particularly when neighborhoods have environmental concerns and public safety issues. Reusing brownfields can help clean up our environment, improving health and recreation opportunities, and remove unfair blight for nearby residents.

Middletown on the Move is about EVERYONE!  The City seeks involvement from local residents, particularly those living downtown and in the North and South Ends. Over the next six months, residents and businesses will have a chance to learn more about the opportunities for brownfield redevelopment, talk about their personal experiences in these neighborhoods, and share ideas for making the city healthier, friendlier, and safer for walking, biking, and being physically active.  Because decisions made through

This project will result in an actionable agenda to transform particular vacant or underutilized properties into places that can improve quality of life. Members of the project Stakeholder Committee include: City of Middletown Planning, Conservation and Development, Public Health  and Recreation & Community Services departments, ProHealth Physicians Middletown, North End Action Team, Middlesex Coalition for Children, Opportunity Knocks; Middletown Youth Services,  Middletown  Community Health Center, YMCA; Wesleyan University; and the Senior and Disabled Communitiesin Middletown.