By Anne White
On Tuesday night, the Representative Town Meeting overturned the Planning and Zoning Commission’s (P&Z) decision to grant Municipal Improvement (MI) status for the Dorothy Hamill Skating Rink project, given in December of last year, effectively halting planning on the much-anticipated new rink.
While the decision has frustrated proponents of the project, it has also exposed deeper divisions in the town’s governance and priorities.
The proposal, centered on the “flip” plan to relocate the rink to the site of the existing baseball field and vice versa, aimed to modernize the facility while ensuring uninterrupted skating programs during construction. First Selectman Fred Camillo, a vocal advocate for the project, expressed his disappointment the morning after the vote. “They disregarded the experts,” Camillo said. “Planning and Zoning spent years reviewing this, and engineers determined it would cost more to rebuild in the same place. But worse, they ignored the thousands of people who put them in office.”
Camillo pointed to the overwhelming public support for the rink project in the community’s proactive efforts to make their voices heard. Over 300 letters were sent to RTM members, 90% urging them to approve the MI status, reflecting the sentiments of 84% of respondents in a January 2023 public survey who supported the “flip” plan. These letters, along with widespread participation in public meetings and hearings, underscored the community’s belief in the project’s necessity and importance. “The public practically begged the RTM to support Planning and Zoning’s decision,” said Camillo.
Proponents of the project emphasized that voting “yes” on MI status was not an approval of construction but a procedural step to move the proposal forward for additional review and funding considerations.
“Many RTM members seemed unaware of the extensive information and studies already accomplished and posted on the rink project’s website which is part of the town’s website,” remarked Bill Drake, the Rink Committee chair.
Tracy Freedman, an RTM member from District 11 and a member of the Parks and Recreation Committee, voiced her support for the project during Tuesday’s meeting. “The current plan, the flip, makes sense. It keeps our skating programs running, minimizes costs, and avoids blasting and building a temporary rink,” Friedman said. “Denying the swap will overturn years of work and add costly delays.”
Opponents, led by four Byram residents, raised concerns about the park’s aesthetics and the scale of the new rink.
The proposal, centered on the “flip” plan to relocate the rink to the site of the existing baseball field and vice versa, aimed to modernize the facility while ensuring uninterrupted skating programs during construction. The Dorothy Hamill Skating Rink has long been a hub for the community, serving several thousand residents annually. However, the facility has significant deficiencies, including substandard ice size, outdated locker rooms, and aging mechanical systems. The new plan, which also included enhancements to the Memorial Tree Grove and ADA-compliant walking paths, was given MI status by P&Z in December with a 4-1 vote after extensive public input. The commission received 136 letters for the proposal and 6 against.
Lucy von Brachel, a District 4 RTM member and one of four residents who referred the MI status to the RTM for review, articulated these objections. “We support building a new rink, and we agree this project is urgent,” she said. “What we object to is the flip, which fundamentally changes this park. With the flip, the rink becomes the focal point, dwarfing everything around it.”
von Brachel further criticized the process, suggesting that alternative options, such as rebuilding the rink in its current location with a temporary facility, were not adequately explored. “There is a sense that every time we bring an idea up, the committee tries to find ways to say no because they just want to build where they want to build,” she said.
The vote also carried clear political undertones, with several partisan organizations sending out emails with the same talking points against the project. “This wasn’t about the process or the project. This was a political power grab of the worst kind,” said one RTM member who requested anonymity. “That’s unconscionable when so many people clearly supported this plan.”
Supporters rejected the suggestion that the public misunderstood the implications of the flip. “Greenwich residents are very smart people,” said one RTM member who voted in favor of the project. “They clearly understand what the flip entails. This isn’t about misunderstanding—it’s about ignoring the public.” The planning process, they argued, was entirely transparent. Committee members were publicly posted, meetings were properly noticed, open and available online, and the town conducted a comprehensive public survey to solicit feedback from residents. (see the survey on page 5)
“This was one of the most transparent processes I’ve seen,” said Freedman. “Every effort was made to engage the community and ensure their voices were heard.”
The rink serves over 1,000 families annually, with the potential to serve far more than 10,000 families over the next decade. By contrast, the Central Middle School rebuild, which will cost an estimated $100 million, is projected to serve 6,000 students over the same period.
Camillo lamented the disconnect between the RTM’s decision and the public’s wishes. “The RTM members who voted need to remember this when they go asking for votes for reelection, and when the people ask them if they listened to their wishes. They need to be truthful because they did not listen,” he said. “This isn’t just about a delay. It’s a missed opportunity to invest in a facility that means so much to so many.”
The project’s fate remains uncertain, though Camillo indicated he has plans to move forward despite the setback. “I want to get this done for the town,” he said. “It’s going to take longer now, and it’s going to cost more, but I’m not giving up.”
