By Fred Camillo
The strength of Greenwich has always been its people—engaged, spirited, and ready to roll up their sleeves when their town calls. Today, that call is being answered through the work of several citizen-led task forces, where dedicated volunteers are leading efforts that will shape our community for generations. These are not passive committees; they are action-oriented, problem-solving groups that embody the best of civic leadership.
Two such examples are the Havemeyer Building Task Force and the Hamill Rink Task Force, chaired by Andy Duus and Matt DeSchamps, respectively. These teams have been digging in—listening to residents, studying the data, and evaluating the possibilities for how to reimagine iconic town assets. Their charge: help us deliver a long-awaited new ice rink and chart a future for the Havemeyer Building that both honors its history and meets the needs of today.
Their work builds on the successful efforts of the very talented Greenwich Plaza Task Force, led by Ross Moore, which tackled tough questions about air rights, train station aesthetics, and public-private collaboration. That model—neighbors with diverse expertise and backgrounds, united by their shared love of Greenwich—is now the standard we’re building on. And it works.
This is the Greenwich way: volunteers, experts, and visionaries coming together—not for credit or acclaim—but because they believe in the mission. They believe in their town. They believe in each other. Just like the task forces before them, Andy, Matt, and their teams are not waiting for direction. They are leading it. They are not just proposing change—they are shepherding it forward.
The recent opening of the Cohen Eastern Greenwich Civic Center stands as a shining example of what can happen when the people step forward with purpose. That new civic center is more than a building—it’s a living testament to teamwork, vision, and action.
Now, we prepare to launch a new chapter with the creation of the Arch Street Task Force. We thank Kyle Silver and every board member who gave their time and heart to make the center a welcoming place for our youth. Their contributions built a legacy.
That legacy will not end—it will evolve. The red-brick building by the harbor will soon be home to something new, something just as meaningful, and just as filled with promise. The work begins now, and as always, we invite the public to be part of it.
All of this reminds us: leadership is not a title. It’s action. Civic involvement is not a luxury. It’s essential. Vision, dedication, teamwork—these are the bedrock values that move Greenwich forward.
As Teddy Roosevelt once said, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” Here in Greenwich, we are doing just that—and we’re just getting started.
Fred Camillo is the First Selectman of Greenwich
