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Showing posts from October, 2022

Enfield's five best things? No Kings protest makes the list

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  Someone was telling me yesterday about a group effort to list the five best things about Enfield. The first was Costco. Everyone struggled after that. Then there was a suggestion to add Raising Cane's. ​ Enfield doesn't have a movie theater, much in the way of parks, a mall, or a downtown. Our main library hasn't been renovated in decades and has more videos than Blockbuster. Too many of our restaurants are fast food. The fastest-growing occupation in town may be takeout delivery drivers. You need your car for everything. But the town does have a civic spirit. ​ Saturday's No King’s protest was my third one. Similar to the others, it attracted a good number of people. Perhaps not as many as the first one, but a lively turnout. ​ It was a chance to strike up random conversations and meet new people, something that is hard to do in Enfield. One fellow I met turned out to be an EHS grad from my era. I graduated in 1972, and my newfound friend in 1973. He had a rally-free...
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Enfield's economic decline and how to fix it

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  Enfield Planning and Zoning Commission, September meeting to discuss town's overall plan. Enfield is facing several significant problems. Our population is declining, our commercial shopping area is in trouble, and we don't have enough multifamily housing, the type that appeals to young people and empty nesters. I graduated from EHS in 1972 and have lived most of my adult life in other cities. But I've been back here for some years and worry about the town's future. Here's a fast breakdown of this history, the problems, and potential fixes. The once happening town From 1950 to 1970, Enfield's population increased from 15,500 to 46,000, its high point. The completion of I-91 and houses priced low enough for a factory worker's wage encouraged this growth. The town needed to build schools faster to keep up with demand. My class was on double sessions at EHS while the town raced to finish Fermi. As it built schools, Enfield was also planning for the future. Fo...
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