April,  2016 

Your copy of the Asylum Hill Neighborhood Association 'News & Views' has arrived!   You will find that you can easily go to any subject in the table of contents by just clicking on it or just browse through the articles as you wish. Please have a look. 
 

Meeting

Next Meeting 04/04/2016

The next meeting is Monday April 4th, 6:15 P.M. at Asylum Hill Congregational Church, 814 Asylum Avenue.
   
 
 
 


Chair
From The Chair
 
What's goin' on? How are you? Really, how are you? The late Marvin Gaye wrote a great song "What's Goin' On", the lyrics of this song continues to resonate in my soul and are relevant today.




HouseFrom the House
 
Opioid addiction has become a serious problem in Connecticut, and one that affects every community in our state. As Co-Chair of the Public Health Committee, I am proud to have introduced legislation with my fellow Committee members to help combat opioid addiction.


 

AHThenAsylum Hill Then and Now
Then
 
95 Farmington Avenue

The Photo above is a home at 95 Farmington Ave, and was taken looking west from Beach St. in October of 1949. It was purchased along with other homes and buildings in this area by Aetna to make room for their post war expansion. Not only was this home taken down, but most all building on the South side of Farmington Ave from Sigourney St to Flower St were razed as well as all of Beach St. In the coming months we will feature several of these homes as well as an approximation of what is where they once were.



 

Now

 
Committee Briefs
Exploring

  
Exploring Asylum Hill:
Harriet Beecher Stowe House
 
It often happens that people miss seeing the very obvious in their midst. A case in point might be the Stowe House, home of Harriet Beecher Stowe and a cultural mainstay of Asylum Hill. I mention this because it is currently closed, the house that is. The Stowe Center remains open. Here's what's happening. The house where Harriet Beecher Stowe lived after she wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin, and was, opened to the public in 1968 will be getting it's first update since then.




  
  
  
  
Zone

I-84 Hartford Project
 
Join the Asylum Hill Neighborhood Association as it welcomes the I-84 Hartford Project team to discuss their plans to rebuild nearly two miles of the highway and many of the surrounding streets in Hartford. We want to hear how YOU think I-84 can be a better neighbor and travel partner, as well as what changes you would like would like to see in our neighborhood.





 



Mayor
 
Hartford Public Schools Resource Exchange Expo
 
 
Earlier in March, Hartford Public Schools hosted a Resource Exchange Expo at Arroyo Rec Center at Pope Park. It was a great opportunity for parents to come and see all of the many resources available to them and their children that support the work of HPS.


Read More
 



 
Bike 
Bike Lanes on Sigourney and Farmington

About four years ago when CTfastrak was still being called the New Britain Busway and Flower St was open but in jeopardy, a DOT hearing concluded that the State was responsible for creating a pedestrian and cycle alternative to the existing unsafe conditions of both Broad and Sigourney Streets. After multiple proposed designs began to exceed $10 million in cost, and the I-84 Project began to make any "Up & Over" structure a short lived solution, attention turned to alternate improvements for both pedestrians and cyclists to ameliorate the loss of Flower St.









African



Sanctuary Art

Lent is a time of great spiritual intensity for Christians all over the world, and Asylum Hill is no exception. The busier we get with our daily lives the more difficult it becomes to get our attention turned to the things that really matter in the long term. At Asylum Hill Congregational Church, they took a new approach this year by inviting Asylum Hill resident Gersohn Escobar, a self taught painter, born in Guatemala, to create a painting, in the Sanctuary, on the Sundays of Lent and during the services.
 
  



 
Hartbeat 
Hartbeat Ensemble - Gross Domestic Product

HartBeat Ensemble presents its new main stage theater work Gross Domestic Product at the Carriage House Theater, 360 Farmington Avenue, Hartford. The production runs April 7 - May 1, 2016 with performances scheduled Thursday through Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:00pm. Opening night for Gross Domestic Product is Friday, April 8 at 7:30pm. All performances include a talk-back with the artists.
 
 
Press Release










 
Seven 
Seven Churches

 
Since the mid-1980's the seven Christian Churches on Asylum Hill have joined together to mark Good Friday with a joint Service beginning at Trinity Episcopal Church and finally concluding at Immanuel Congregational.

  

 



 
SIM 
Spectrum In Motion - Winter Sharing & More
 
On March 16th Spectrum in Motion began their performance schedule for the year with a "sharing", not a performance, something a little less formal but in many ways just as important.
Olivia Ilano-Davis' goal with her dance program has always been more that just to teach dance or to provide professional dance performances, at it's core it has been about community, bringing people together.
 
 

 
HCB 


Hartford City Ballet Vacation Arts School

Not sure what to do with the kids during school spring break? You might consider adding some creative physical exercise, dance and artistic skills to their schedule. Hartford City Ballet is offering "Vacation Arts Week; a week long arts-related and educational activity during the Hartford Public School's Spring vacation break. 
 
 
                       
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 




 
Urban 
Urban League Employment Empowerment Expo
 
The career that you've been searching for may be within reach. Come to the Urban League of Greater Hartford 16th Annual Employment Empowerment Expo. Many well-known companies will conduct on-site interviews. BRING COPIES OF YOUR RESUME. (Note: To participate you should bring your resume and come professionally dressed.) Have your resume critiqued by certified resume writers, attend presentations on starting your own small business, and learn strategies to improve your interview skills. It's an event filled with opportunities you can't afford to miss ... and it's all here for you, absolutely FREE!
  


colorful_tulips.jpg
 
Blooms

Hartford Blooms Bus Tour and Variety Show

On Saturday May 7th Hartford Blooms with sponsorship from the Knights of Columbus will have Christian heritage bus tours followed by an 'Old Fashioned' variety show in the evening. 
 
"Catholic Legacy" - Saturday, May 7th, 9 am-12 noon
   "Protestant Roots" - Saturday, May 7th, 1:30pm-4:30pm

 
 
Read More

 

 

 

VITA


tax_time.jpg
VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program

Again this year, households with less than $54,000. income can get free income tax assistance at various location around the City and region.
 
  Read More

Jobs

News

 

Hartford News AHNA Supplement
 

As part of our communications efforts we publish our newsletter 'AHNA News and Views' as a supplement in the Hartford News monthly.  To cover the printing costs we need to secure ads generating $500.00 dollars each month.  This provides us with four pages with color.  If you, an organization you work for or belong to would like to help support this effort please see the order form below.  Please contact the editor at communications@asylumhill.org  if you know of anyone or business you think we might reach out to for support.  Thank you.

 

Ad Order Form


 
Events
Events Calendar

 

Please click on the following link to go to our online Events Calendar.

BriefsCommittee Briefs
Friends of Sigourney Square Park will meet next in April

Quality of Life Committee;
met on 3/17 Crime stats from Ofc. Chanaca were the same as those presented by Ofc Zweibelsen at the General meeting on 3/7.
Cameras are now installed and functioning on S. Marshall St. Ofc Chanaca can access information from his cell phone.
Additional cameras will be functioning on Huntington St as well in the weeks to come
The issue of tractor trailers parked on City streets was again raised
it is a violation of City ordinance, but drivers don't have a good alternative
there are some lots e.g. state lot under I-84 that are not being used
City Council should clarify the fines and provide alternatives for drivers to comply
Q of L Cmte will research and report back
221 Collins St parks on the grass
This is a zoning issue, that HPD is not equipped to address (no expertise)
L&I does not have staff to enforce zoning violations
should also go to City Council
Green Apple owner convicted of Food Stamp Fraud
Store is expected to remain open
Avalon Village Apts- many appear to be empty will check it out
Still many problems with panhandling around Saint Francis, working with the employees to call security right away instead of the next day.

Communications Committee;
met on 3/21; Articles for the upcoming News & Views were reviewed. Future articles will focus on Sheff v. O'Neill status as well as services offered by the Urban League that can benefit neighbors. A review of the website as well as Facebook was included.cost to print it.
 

  Welcoming Committee;
      notes were not available at publication time.
 

From The Editor
If you have any comments, suggestions or submissions please contact me via email at communications@asylumhill.org 
 
Sincerely,  
Paul O'Mara Communications Committee Chair
  
Contact Us
Send emails directly to AHNA at  info@asyluhill.org

To visit our website click on the following link.   AHNA Website

To visit our Facebook page go to 'Asylum Hill Living' group page.