Park Gardeners To Receive Hamden Orchid Award

Two Hamden residents will be honored for their work on one of the town's parks where they have volunteered hours of time to help make it a destination spot.

Mayor Scott Jackson will present the Hamden Clean and Green Commission’s Civic Orchid award to Lyn Baumgartner and Mary DeSarbo for their efforts to renew the Ernest Borgnine Park, which is located directly across from the Karma Garden they created and have maintained for 10 years.

The Civic Orchid award is presented in recognition of individuals or groups that beautify a public space in Hamden.

The Ernest Borgnine Park, named for the Oscar winning actor and Hamden native, was created by the Greater Hamden Plains/Wintergreen Community Association. The park, located at the intersection of Putnam and Dixwell avenues, was dedicated in October 2005.

In 1991, the association began work to clean up the park, under the leadership of Susan Hutchinson, president the association.

Initially, the association believed that all of the property was owned by the town but they soon learned that the property from the flag poles back towards Stop and Shop was in fact owned by the State of Connecticut.

Town administrations from 1991 to 1999 promised funds to help restore the park, but for various reasons the money was never forthcoming. During the administration of former Mayor Carl Amento, the Civic Association requested that the town approach the state to transfer the state-owned part of the property to the town and secure the grant funding. This ultimately happened, in large part due to the hard work and persistence of State Representative Peter Villano.

Villano helped the association work with the state to transfer ownership of the property to the town for a nominal fee and successfully secured a grant of $50,000 for landscaping, which made it possible to complete the park. The grant was used for an architectural plan, establish a water supply, plant trees along Putnam Ave, install flagpoles and purchase plants for the burm.

The town went to bid for an architect to design a park using the entire parcel of land. The plan called for a park with trees and criss- crossing sidewalks, a fountain and benches. The park was never built. The association expected more pedestrians crossing from Walgreens to Stop and Shop but that didn’t happen. There was also concern that the park would become a hangout and a troubled area.

Although the grand park that was envisioned was not created, the association did plant daffodils and tulips alongside plants which were installed by a local garden center. The town assumed responsibility for mowing the park lawn, keeping the sidewalk clean and paying for the small amount of electricity used by a light installed by the UI Company to shine on the flag at night. The park sat, virtually forgotten.

Then in 2009, Lyn and Mary decided to split their time between the Karma garden and the park. They asked the civic association if they could landscape the park and their offer was accepted. Since then, the women have worked to amend the soil with organic matter and plant perennials donated from Hindinger's Farm, as well friends and supporters.

The town has also contributed funds to purchase perennials and annuals. They have supplemented the daffodils and tulips with bleeding hearts, May pinks, Brunnera, veronica, hostas and even foxgloves planted from seed.

Litter has been an ongoing problem but Lyn has recently received a commitment from the owner of Little Ceasar’s to have their employees pick up any restaurant litter they see when they are outside advertising the restaurant. She is hopeful other nearby businesses will also take a greater role in keeping the area clean. An attractive trash receptacle would also help keep the park clean.

Lyn would like to receive an enclosed “holding pen” for plant debris to be stored until it can be taken away from the park. Strong volunteers are needed to help dig out ornamental grasses growing under the flagpoles. According to Civic Association President Hutchinson, approximately $4,000 is needed to move the flagpoles away from the trees so that the flags will not get caught in the tree branches.

Both believe this intersection is a gateway to southern Hamden and want to make it a vibrant, welcoming area. Residents on their way to work and bicyclists riding through the area often frequent the park. Mothers sit on the benches with their children when on a walk and enjoy the trees filled with birds and their nests. This is also a convenient place to enter and depart the Farmington Canal trail in southern Hamden. In the summer this is one of the few shady spots to relax for passersby on this section of Dixwell Ave.

The gardeners have begun to think about their next project and more and more are contemplating the benefits of building a community vegetable garden similar to the garden near the Miller Library, in the unused portion of the park area. They believe a community garden would make this section of Hamden feel more homelike and would be a valuable addition to this part of town.

Mary and Lyn have advice for residents of southern Hamden.

“Come and visit the park” they urge. “Sit, relax and enjoy the beauty that exists in the Ernest Borgnine Park.”