By Thane Grauel
WESTPORT — A part of town history has been restored and returned to its post at the Town Hall entrance.
The Public Notice case, made perhaps 80 years ago of about 200 pounds of brass and glass, was restored and polished by Andrew Colabella.
Colabella, a Representative Town Meeting member from District 4, said that while Town Hall’s façade was getting a months-long face lift, the notice box was moved to the Town Clerk’s Office.
Colabella said Town Clerk Jeffrey Dunkerton wasn’t sure what to do with it. It was extensively weathered, and public notices are now posted online.
“He was in one day and said he could take it and refurbish it,” Dunkerton said of Colabella.
“And he did,” Dunkerton said. “It looks great.”
Colabella, who likes tinkering with things and restoring them, spent months removing decades of tarnish. It took a combination of fine-grit sandpapers, polishes and lacquers to get it looking good. He also had to disassemble, clean and reassemble a small lock for the glass door, about the size of penny, which wouldn’t turn.
“It’s been on Town Hall since Tall Hall was on the Post Road,” Colabella said of the cobblestone building at 90 Post Road East.
Work to renovate the former Bedford Elementary School on Myrtle Avenue for present-day Town Hall began in 1978.
After the Town Hall front’s refurbishment was complete, the Public Notices case was hung again to the left of the main doors.
The Town of Westport acknowledged the good deed with a photo of Colabella and First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker on Facebook.
“Not only has the front of Town Hall been beautifully restored thanks to @westportdpw, but the antique Public Notice box has been as well. Thank you to Andrew Colabella for your skilled craftsmanship and care for a piece of Westport history which dates back to the original Town Hall. Stunning!” the post reads.
Thane Grauel grew up in Westport and has been a journalist in Fairfield County and beyond for 35 years. Reach him at editor@westportjournal.com. Learn more about us here.
Looks great, nice work.
For those interested in receiving emails on all Public Notices about meetings, agendas, etc. delivered by email be sure to subscribe here
https://www.westportct.gov/about/advanced-components/subscribe-to-westport-emergency-meetings-and-news-enotifications
This is a great way for people to learn about what is happening in town government. While Westport has a long way to go to have acceptable transparency in its sharing of all information with the public, this is a nice feature.
What a nice thing to do. Preservation of such a stunning artifact speaks to the continuity of history. Maybe the town can request project proposals from the arts community about what to display in the case.
Ah ! So cute 🙂
It’s so pleasant to see some cuteness amongst the “cuteness “ we are being subjected to.
I love a good story about a restored artifact.and well done Andrew for restoring it.
. but I’ll be honest I’d really like instead of photos of the administration taken with an rtm member, I’d really really love some answers on Parker Harding.. on the staff exile to a disheveled parking lot on the way off outskirts of downtown and on the then potential move to somewhere else of the farmers market, ( which has fast become the topic of conversation. ) beloved and adored by us all !
Let’s face it. We all love the farmers market.. we really do. BUT, if the downtown staff are being sequestered to park there, the farmers market becomes homeless.
It is so important to see Westport as how it operates today. ESP as it has been allowed to operate in a different way until today.
Are we going to face off the farmers market against the staff of downtown ?
Because if we are the farmers market will absolutely lose… of course we don’t want that outcome..
We love the farmers market. Everyone does. We need a home for them. Only second to needing a home for the entire merchant and staff of downtown to park…
Has anyone any suggestions ?
This is fast becoming an imminent problem.
None of us want the farmers market to have to move. That would be incredibly inconvenient.
Alas, if downtown staff are forced to move there to that lot, that the administration has practically shoved down our throat and abused us over for years… then… where will the farmers market go ?