Latest news with #ManchesterRoadRace
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘Johnny's Jog' raises money to support those with chronic illnesses
WEST HARTFORD, Conn (WTNH) — West Hartford continued its St. Patrick's day celebrations Sunday with the annual 'Johnny's Jog' 5K race. The annual event combines a road race with bagpipes, step dancing, free food, a raffle, and more. The race is held in honor of Johnny Moran, who organizers say faced life's challenges with a heartwarming smile and an unyielding spirit. Manchester Road Race donates over $100K in proceeds 'We started and we used to hand-write our own signs, we had about, our first year, maybe 300 participants, 200, and it's just grown,' race organizer Kelly Clark said. 'And everybody comes out every year, and the community shows up, and it's really nice.' Since the race started in 2011, it has raised over $850,000 to support people living with chronic illnesses. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
After a year of controversy, central CT town commits to downtown makeover
After a year of lawn sign campaigns, social media debates and a even a petition drive, Manchester's leadership decided Tuesday night to pursue the ambitious and controversial modernization plan for downtown. Even though the Board of Directors committed to the project, the decision was dogged by disagreement: The vote was 6-3 along party lines. Director Ed Boland joined his two fellow Republicans in voting no, saying 'This is a very big project, there's a lot of emotion on both sides. I think we have to listen to the taxpayers. The way to do that is through a referendum. This isn't just for our generation or the next generation, this is for 50 or 100 years down the road.' But the six Democratic directors all voted to move the project ahead, with Mayor Jay Moran calling on people who care about downtown to put aside their various disputes. Younger generations want better housing opportunities and downtown walkability, and they deserve to be heard, Moran said. 'When they didn't have their voices heard (in other towns), they got up and left,' Moran said. 'Director Boland is right, this is about the next 50, the next 100 years. We all can't get what we want personally, but what can we grab onto that I'd agree with 90% or 80% to move the town forward? The only way to move forward is to look forward.' The downtown initiative will cost an estimated $15 million to $20 million, and town leaders don't anticipate they'll have funding in place for at least another year or more. Construction wouldn't start until 2026 at soonest, and possibly not until 2027. But Tuesday night's decision means the town is committed to redesigning Main Street; the current version of the plan would reduce travel lanes, replace two high-traffic intersections with roundabouts and add a bike track along with better pedestrian amenities. A collection of business owners, some members of the Army & Navy Club on Main Street, balked at the idea a year ago, and created the 'Save Downtown Manchester' campaign to block it. They argued that Manchester has kept its character for many decades, and that bike lanes would ruin that. Reducing one lane of traffic in each direction would worsen delays getting through town, they said, and local merchants might suffer. The group insisted that roundabouts could create accidents rather than reduce them, and at one point suggested they'd interfere with the popular Manchester Road Race and potentially limit the ability of fire trucks to get to emergency scenes. Community officials argued that most of those warnings were scare tactics or simple misinformation, and produced a series of studies indicating roundabouts are a widely accepted alternative when traditional intersections become too dangerous. Proponents also said so-called road diets have been successfully implemented in communities across the country, and that better bike and pedestrian infrastructure will be the key to downtown Manchester's future. Manchester's Complete Streets plan is similar to others that have improved downtowns in the Northeast, advocates said. 'This has been a contentious issue that has brought out great passions from the community,' Democratic Director Jerald Lentini said. 'This is too big of a project to not seize opportunities when they come, for example more than $8 million in funding that has already been secured and would be jeopardized by us not moving forward. We have had listening sessions, we have spent years gathering community feedback … we know the safety benefits, the economic benefits.' Republican Director Zachary Reichelt though argued that 1,700 residents spoke when they signed petitions last year seeking a referendum. The town ultimately concluded the petition did not conform with the municipal charter. Through the last several months, advocates have organized Improve Main Street as an organization to press for advancing the Main Street redesign. The Save Downtown Manchester group tried to rally opponents to show up at the most recent directors' meeting, but attendance was modest. Town planners and engineers held multiple community engagement sessions, and last year adjusted the initial plan to address parking concerns raised by some downtown businesses. 'I appreciate all the public feedback we've received. It has helped town staff adjust the concept,' Town Manager Steve Stephanou said Wednesday.
