Enfield Things

Russell Speeder's Car Wash design presented to PZC at its Sept. 25 meeting. The Enfield Planning and Zoning Commission has approved a Russell Speeder's Car Wash at the former site of the 99 Restaurant and Pub, located at the corner of Hazard Avenue and Freshwater Boulevard. The restaurant building, which closed last year, will be demolished to make way for a car wash and vacuum station area Two-Step Approval Process The project advanced in two stages. In April, the Norwalk-based company sought a zoning text amendment to allow car washes in the Business Regional (BR) zone, which covers shopping centers such as the Stop & Shop plaza. Until then, car washes were only permitted in the Business General (BG) zone. The amendment was approved on a 5–2 vote, but only after debate. One commissioner warned of a potential “proliferation” of car washes, noting Enfield already has two on Elm Street. To address that concern, the commission added a requirement that car washes in BR zones m...

Planning and Zoning Commission Chair Linda DeGray holds up rendering of Enfield Square redevelopment proposal at Thurday's meeting with the developers. To her left is Commissioner Terrence Lynch, and right, John Petronella. Source: YouTube A plan to demolish and redevelop the Enfield Square Mall is facing sharp opposition from the Planning and Zoning Commission. At a meeting on Thursday, PZC Chairwoman Linda DeGray stated that the latest proposal — which includes the potential for 700 apartments, a new big-box store, and smaller buildings for restaurants and retail — was not what the town had wanted. "I understand you're businessmen, but this is our town," DeGray said. "These people live here. You guys live in Nebraska." "This is still way too much," she said, at one point holding up a rendering of the development plan. "We are looking for more open space. We want something that is a little bit more representative of a town, not a city." ...

Rotary Park Walking Trail The first time I visited the Enfield Senior Center was about fifteen years ago. My father, a member at the time, brought me there one morning to play pool. It was just time spent together. I hadn’t been back since. He passed away in 2012, and though I’ve since reached senior status myself, I didn’t think much about joining—until a friend recently told me something I hadn’t known. Just behind the Senior Center, there’s a gravel trail—and one of the best things in Enfield. It’s a soft, winding path about a quarter mile long that leads through a quiet stretch of woodland. I had no idea it was there. But walking it now, I felt a deep sense of calm and quiet. There are birdhouses along the way and a few exercise stations tucked here and there. Mostly, it’s the beauty that stands out. The walking trail is called Rotary Park and is open to the public from dawn to dusk. The trail is surfaced with fine, crushed stone, similar to what once covered the track at Enfield H...

Enfield Town Council via YouTube Sept. 15 2025 The Town Council Republican majority blocked an effort to restore funding to the Enfield Safe Harbor Warming Center, which provides overnight stays for the homeless during the cold months. At the Sept. 15 meeting, Councilwoman Cindy Mangini (D) asked the council to reinstate a $13,000 town grant to Enfield People for People Inc. (EPFP), which operates the warming center at St. Patrick's Church. Funding for the center is usually included among the town's grants to other service organizations, such as Enfield Food Shelf. But the funding was removed in the 2026 budget that took effect July 1.  The group says the loss of a $13,000 town grant will strain its ability to serve the homeless this winter. What the Loss Means for the Warming Center "EPFP will continue to operate as planned," said Deacon Paul Robert, the group's treasurer, in an email. "Some on the Council who wish it were otherwise will be disappointed....

Enfield is weighing redevelopment plans for the former Fermi High School Annex, with housing at the center and community spaces like the pool and auditorium set to remain. Enfield is considering selling parts — if not all — of Fermi High School, with redevelopment focused on new housing, most likely senior or age-restricted. The town wants to retain some of the building’s facilities, including the pool, auditorium, and meeting spaces, while the sports fields and track would remain town-owned. This plan is outlined in a request for proposals (RFP) that the Town Council will take up at a special meeting Monday at 6:15 p.m. at Town Hall. [ See Council agenda packet ] The presentation itself . Pickleball Courts and Hidden Motives    The timing sheds new light on the town’s recent decision to build pickleball courts at Fermi. That $600,000 project — paid out of town reserves — now appears less about meeting recreation needs and more about making the property attractive to potential...

  Peter Sorenson, president of the Enfield Historical Society, examines a historic glass slide in the museum’s archive room. The Society’s collection includes thousands of items documenting Enfield’s past. An 80% cut in town funding may force the Enfield Historical Society to do what town leaders most want to prevent: sell historic properties. The Society expected about $26,000 from the town budget that began July 1, but President Peter Sorenson received just $6,000. There was no explanation for the reduction. The town has tied its future funding to new financial disclosure requirements. Mayor Ken Nelson also called for a full meeting with the Society's board—not just Sorenson. Nelson’s demand reveals a deep mistrust and suggests that personal tensions are fueling the dispute as much as policy differences. The Society , founded in 1960, is a private, nonprofit organization that operates the museum in the Old Town Hall and owns the Martha Parsons House at 1387 Enfield St. and W...