By Richard Kaufman
The same group that brought holiday lights back to the downtown area now wants to bring American flags back to Greenwich Avenue.
The Board of Selectmen heard a proposal last week from the nonprofit Greenwich Community Projects Fund, that would place flags on lamp posts going down the Avenue for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day and perhaps Veterans Day. Whether the flags stay up throughout the warm weather months, or are put up and removed just after each holiday, would still need to be figured out.
“The thought about this is really just to… continue on the theme of creating value and creating beauty and spirit in downtown,” said Alyssa Keleshian, who is working on the initiative with Sebastian Dostmann. Keleshian noted that in the 1970’s and 1980’s, the Greenwich Chamber of Commerce put up flags for patriotic holidays. “Everyone wants the small town charm. This is going back to small town community charm.”
Dostmann said the flags would be a welcome addition over the summer.
“Hopefully this will be a little more low cost than the lights in the winter months, but something fun and vibrant to continue throughout the rest of the year until the lights make their comeback in the fall,” he said.
First Selectman Fred Camillo agreed, pointing out that Westport does something similar, and it’s always a memorable sight.
Selectperson Lauren Rabin, who chairs the Re-Imagine Greenwich Committee which aims to implement improvements in the downtown area, said that the committee is starting a conversation about resurrecting banner advertising on lamp posts to fund initiatives. She asked if the banners and flags could be on display simultaneously, and Dostmann assured her there would be enough space for both.
“I understand that there are no issues with flags as signage, but I just want to make sure that we’re checking all the boxes and that there are no procurement issues if [the flags] are purchased by an outside nonprofit, and I want to make sure we’re not running inadvertently afoul of another board or commission with authority here,” said Selectperson Jill Oberlander.
Flags are allowed to be on display, but Katie DeLuca, Greenwich’s Director of Planning and Zoning, said any advertisement, or material such as a ribbon or a banner showing who funded the initiative, would not be permitted.
Keleshian said recognizing those who make donations is important.
“We are going to go after donors, and donors need to at least get appreciated for their donation. That will be something we need to figure out. A lot of people are very community minded and they should be thanked,” Keleshian said.
The Selectmen did not take a vote on the proposal.
