Falls Village celebrated heritage in 2024

FALLS VILLAGE — The Falls Village Volunteer Fire Department kicked off its 100th anniversary year with an open house at the Emergency Services Center Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024.

The fire department continued with events throughout the year, including an assembly of fire trucks and apparatus from all over the state at Housatonic Valley Regional High School and a informative lecture on arson investigation.

Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas visited Town Hall on Jan. 30, to award the Municipal Democracy Challenge Cup for the best voter turnout (68.7%) in the small town category in the 2023 election.

First Selectman Dave Barger thanked Thomas for the recognition and the town’s election officials and volunteers for their efforts.

The Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to adopt the 2024 Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) after a public hearing Thursday, Jan 25. Both the hearing and subsequent meeting were held online only.

The David M. Hunt Library sponsored a wide range of programs for all ages during 2024. A highlight was a unique exhibition of photographs that opened March 16.

The show, “From the Great Falls to the Hilltops: The Mabel Hallaway Collection of Early 20th Century Photography,”

The images came from a photo album and a box of glass slide and film negatives from the Falls Village-Canaan Historical Society.

The images were printed out using modern technology by Rika Laser, assisted by Sara Laser, Sergei and Zoe Fedorjaczenko, and Garth Kobal.

The exhibition opening was preceded by a presentation on glass slide photography with Daniel Karp of Bard College at Simon’s Rock.

In December, after three years of operation, the Falls Village Cafe closed at the town-owned 107 Main Street. The Board of Selectmen quickly found a new tenant, Liz Ives of Salisbury, who also plans to run a cafe. A public hearing is necessary but the selectmen did not set a date at their December meeting.

The Center on Main, under the leadership of Rebecca Bloomfield, expanded the offerings and activities at the venerable space, including the monthly “Big Talk” (as opposed to small talk), a singing circle, drop-in art making, ongoing music lessons with Brook Martinez, the recent Holiday Extravaganza and hosting Taekwando three times per week.

And, of course, the Center hosted the productions of the Falls Village Children’s Theater, whose “Jungle Book” was a major success in 2024.