EDC hopes to increase tourism

WINSTED — The Winsted Economic Development Commission discussed updates on the Complete Street program, reports on local public access shows and proposals for increasing tourism and promoting businesses in the Winsted area during its meeting at Town Hall on Tuesday, Aug. 19.

Present at the meeting was Chairman Frank Berg, Town Manager Dale Martin, Vice Chairman Anna Norland, Board of Selectman Liaison Candace Bouchard, Heather Rodriguez and Dick Labich. Absent was Secretary Susie Collier.

Also discussed at the meeting was the possibility of a 2017 centennial celebration of Winsted being charted as a city, although there was some debate as to the actual date of the city’s incorporation.

“Time is on our side for this,” said Berg. “Everyone’s up for a good party, though, so that’s going to be a good opportunity for us.”

The first report at the meeting was by Labich on his recent work with cable television shows.

“The show that’s on right now is probably the most boring one I’ve done in the last three years,” laughed Labich. “If you want to go to sleep, tune in next Tuesday and you’ll do it.”

Labich said the show focused on Connecticut agriculture, and while not the most exciting subject, there was still some positives to take away from it. Labich said farming in Connecticut is up 43 percent in the last 10 years, and that Connecticut is ranked first in quality of life in the United States, which Labich attributed partly to fresh food grown on farms. 

Labich also reported on a “high-class antique operation,” as well as three new businesses moving into the Whiting Mills complex, which would be the subject of a future show.

Next was a report by Rodriguez on tourism. She began with a proposal for something that would be “kind of a collaboration with businesses, if we can get people to pull together — a sort of ‘day in Winsted’ ... a weekend getaway, a day getaway.”

Rodriguez said the idea would be to incorporate various businesses and activities, including hiking, paddle-boarding and fine dining into a package for people on vacation, who would rent cottages on Highland Lake or stay at local bed and breakfasts. Rodriguez was disappointed when other EDC members informed her that Winsted only has one bed and breakfast, offering a single room.

“Well that kind of blows it out of the water,” Rodriguez said.

The proposal was still met with enthusiasm, with other possibilities for lodging offered.

“We have such a beautiful foliage season in Winsted,” Rodriguez said.

Other proposals in the realm of tourism included the creation of a fall or holiday festival and parade, collaborating with Torrington and other nearby towns to promote attractions, and a sidewalk-chalking day for children along Main Street.

“We don’t really have a lot left on Main Street this year,” said Rodriguez. “We have a bunch of empty storefronts. So if we can get people down there, more than once a year, more than once a fall ...”  

Labich and Berg spoke further on specifics related to collaborations with other towns, particularly working together on maps and cross-promotional magazines and flyers.

“This is going to be a great thing. I feel really optimistic about it,” said Berg.

The meeting moved on to Norland’s report on the Complete Street project. The project seeks to make streets safer and simpler for all forms of transportation, including walking and bicycling. 

Plans had already been engineered, Norland said, for the expansion of a walking path through the town, and consultation help is being sought from the National Parks Service.

A parks service representative was planning on “just kind of walking through town,” Norland said, but was unable to make the scheduled date, and instead participated in a conference call. She also said she had received a “verbal yes” from state Rep. Jay Case (R-63) to assist with the project in whatever way he could.