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TONIGHT Showers, T-storms early. Low of 50. Search for The Westfield News The Westfield Search for TheF WestfieldYOU WANTNews TO News “I Westfield350.com The Westfield News MAKE PEACE, Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME ISYOU THEDON ONLYT TALK WEATHER ’ CRITICTO YOUR WITHOUT FRI ENDS. TONIGHT AMBITIONYOU TALK.” TO Partly Cloudy. JOHNYOUR STEINBECK ENEMIES.” Low of 55. Search for The Westfield News Westfield350.comWestfield350.org Thewww.thewestfieldnews.com WestfieldNews — Moshe Dayan Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHERVOL. 86 NO. 151 75CRITIC centsWITHOUT VOL. 88 NO. 116 TUESDAY,MONDAY, JUNE MAY 20, 27, 2019 2017 75 Cents TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL.Weekend-long 86 NO. 151 celebrationTUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 brings 75 cents thousands to the city’s birthday party By PETER CURRIER in the night, when the band wrapped up, Rock took the stage Correspondent to begin a countdown, akin to what was done during WESTFIELD- The Westfield 350th birthday celebration is Westfield’s firs- ever First Night part held on New Years Eve a wrap after this long-anticipated weekend brought thou- of this year. At the end of the countdown, the Westfield 350 sands of Westfield residents out to take part in the festivities. bike sign on top of the Boys and Girls Club lit up, and the The City of Westfield is now offi- fireworks began. The fireworks show was sponsored by cially 350-years-old as of Sunday. The Advanced Manufacturing. celebrations began Friday with a proc- Rock’s countdown was done with the young grandson of the lamation ceremony in City Council Chambers at City Hall. Mayor Brian P. Sullivan and President of the Friends of 350TH WEEKEND PHOTOS PAGES 6, 7, AND 8 the Westfield 350 Harry Rock hosted the event where they took the opportu- late Kazimierz ‘Kaz’ Trzepacz, the main creator of the bike nity to thank the community for all the sign. Kaz was a retired employee of Columbia Manufacturing time and effort that was put in over the who was tasked with creating the sign by the company’s entire planning process for the 350th birthday. president, Ali Salehi. “It takes a village,” said Rock, “And what a village! This Salehi said later that Kaz was the most talented employee he could not have happened without you.” had ever seen at his company. Later that evening was the monthly ArtWalk, during which “I said, ‘Kaz, make me this’,” said Salehi while pointing to local artists posted up outside shops on Elm Street and show- a drawing of the bike on a piece of draft paper. “This is all I cased their work. Some were photographers who capture a gave him.” variety of subjects while others were painters using different Kaz passed away before his sign was lit up on top of the styles and mediums to make works of art. building. Rock and the other 350 organizers chose to honor The bulk of the weekend’s activities took place on him by having his grandson do the countdown. Saturday throughout the city. Some residents woke up bright Rock estimated that somewhere around 5,000 people were and early to do yoga by the Great River Bridge. Others got in the field watching the fireworks, compared to roughly 3,500 up just as early to attend the Community Pancake Breakfast who watched them in the same spot on New Years Eve. at Westfield Middle School. Some people, surely, did both. The events culminated in a parade May 19, the actual date Also beginning in the morning was a painting project in of Westfield’s birthday. The parade began at Stanley Park and which local artists painted some of the utility boxes near the Westfield State University and went down Western Avenue to Park Square Green. The now decorated utility boxes now the Park Square Green. There were over 40 floats and hun- have works of art on them instead of being the dull green dreds of marchers representing many Westfield organizations, color they once were. companies, churches, and groups. Rock said that he has no Early in the afternoon, the Run Westfield 5K began at idea exactly how many people came out to view the parade, Westfield State University’s south parking lot and ended on but he said that the crowd was about 10 people deep through- Elm Street by the Gaslight District, where a block party was out most of the route. waiting for the runners. The race was won by 24-year-old Fireworks fill the night sky at the end of the first day of “We hit it out of the park,” said Rock, “The big thing is that Jacob Thomson for the men with a time of 14:09. For the Westfield’s 350th birthday celebration. (Marc St. Onge Photo) we got the weather on our side.” women, the winner was 29-year-old Katrina Spratford with a There were two showings of the Westfield Theater Group’s At the end of the parade, when the last floats and marchers time of 15:51. original musical, “Time in Westfield.” The script was written finally reached the Park Square Green, there was a perfor- by Kathy Palmer specifically for the Westfield 350. It took mance by the Mummers Woodland String Band. Spectators the audience on a journey through time to explore Westfield’s were treated to ice cream and cupcakes prepared by students history. The music in the play was written by Marion Dunk. from Westfield Technical Academy. “It is a lighthearted entertaining comedy that should appeal “What I love about this celebration is that, when you looked to all ages,” said playwright Kathy Palmer, “It should appeal at the parade, everyone was in it,” said Rock, “People would to people who like plays, people who like musicals, people who like fun stories, people who like history, people who like See Westfield 350th, Page 7 to see old Westfield pictures.” The backdrops shown throughout the play were all of authentic pictures of Westfield and its history. There were over 40 different cast members in the play, roughly a third of whom had never acted in any capacity before. There were five showings of the original production throughout its run, which began on May 10th. The showing on Friday, May 17th was not open to the general public, as it was a special showing for all of those who had worked on the 350 since preparations began. The Westfield 350th Birthday Parade May 19 is led by mem- On Saturday afternoon, the celebrations continued on the bers of the city’s scout troops. In the golf cart directly field by Amelia Park and Westfield Middle School, where a behind them is Art Bousquet and Dave Cowart, who were children’s carnival took place. A number of local food trucks the scouts who led the 1969 300th parade. (Marc St. Onge were present while the Beach Boys tribute band “The The Sons of Erin float with Westfield’s colleen contingent. Photo) Driftwoods” played on a stage at the edge of the field. Later (Marc St. Onge Photo) Shark Tank com- petitors Kamryn Wentworth, Financial approvals, Brandon Therrien, Shamus Crane, Aiden Mann, Benjamin code changes on Southwick Bellinger, Joshua Blake and Kirstyn Arel with Town Meeting warrant Tuesday Enterprise Club advisor Jeanne By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Last week, Superintendent Jennifer Willard LeClair. (Photo by Correspondent spoke during the Granville Town Meeting and Amy Porter) SOUTHWICK – Residents will have the said the CPC funds would be to purchase play- opportunity to vote in both the Special Town ground equipment only, but the entire project is Meeting and Annual Town Meeting Tuesday. estimated at $228,000. The Special Town Meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Willard said much of those funds would be May 21 in the Southwick Regional School audi- for water mitigation at the site. The playground torium, followed by the Annual Town Meeting is often off-limits to students because of water Young entrepreneurs present at 7 p.m. issues, which spill onto the adjacent parking lot. The special meeting warrant includes four Article 19 is to see if the town would approve articles, all pertaining to town finances. debt authorization for Southwick-Granville- ideas in Shark Tank competition The Annual Town Meeting warrant includes Tolland Regional School District for capital By AMY PORTER freshmen and sophomore students ranged 23 articles ranging from the town budget to bor- improvements, which include the playground as Correspondent from conceptual ideas costing millions to rowing funds for renovations to the Southwick well as two school buses, technology upgrades HUNTINGTON – The Gateway more concrete business plans. She asked Fire Department headquarters. and more. Enterprise Club, a club for young entre- them to consider all ideas equally. There are two articles by petition pertaining The CPC also placed articles requesting the preneurs, held its second annual Shark Kirstyn Arel, Joshua Blake and Emma to the election of board members. appropriation of Communuty Preservation Tank competition on Friday. Judges from Dana gave the first pitch for the Film Reel Article 6 is a petition to change the town code funds for a $115,000 agricultural restriction on the Jacob’s Ladder Business Association Diner, a diner with a seasonal drive-in to provide for the election of finance committee North Longyard Road – which would be (JLBA) listened to ideas for businesses theater. Arel, who researched the project members, and Article 7 is to amend the town matched by the state – and $40,000 for head- pitched by students, and awarded a $250 and made t-shirts sporting the name of the code to provide for the election of four mem- stone repairs at the Old Southwick Cemetery.

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