History
25 YEARS AGO: State finds toxic waste site

Apr 3, 2008

An old dump site that was thought to contain toxic materials such as pesticides, paint and solvents was named by state officials as a potential threat to the Sugar Hollow Aquifer, the March 31, 1983 Press reported.

The site was one of 70 potentially troublesome sites around the state where highway crew were believed to have dumped hazardous waste over the course of 40 years.  The aquifer, a large body of underground water in Ridgefield, Redding and Danbury, had been considered a potential source of drinking water for the Route 7 area of northern Ridgefield and southern Danbury.

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The town received a second purchase offer on the nearly five-acre property that the Boys Club offered to buy in December, after a federal judge ruled its dollar-a-year lease with the town was unconstitutional.

Ethel Eckhaus, a member of the Women’s Political Caucus, which brought the suit against the club’s one dollar lease on the grounds of sex discrimination, gave the town a written offer to buy the 4.9-acre Governor Street property for $66,000 saying that she wanted the property “as an investment.” Her offer topped the Boy’s Club offer of $53,166, which had been reached by averaging the three appraisals that were done for the town in conjunction with federal court hearings to determine the property’s fair market value. The professional appraisals ranged from $55,000 to $200,000.

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Theresa C. Giardini of Prospect Street, widow of Harry Giardini, died at 83.  Born in Castel Colonnna, Ancona, Italy in 1883, she had been a Ridgefield resident for 70 years. A son, Dino Giardini, and a daughter, Mrs. Delphine Pierandri, survived her.

Mrs. Alice J. Scofield Bailey, a granddaughter of D. Crosby Baxter, founder of The Ridgefield Press, died at 75.  She was born on May 15, 1907 and attended the Farmingville School and Ridgefield High.

Emilio Garbattini, a native of Senigallia, Italy, who came to Ridgefield at an early age died at 81. He had worked for a number of contractors in town and was an estate-manager when he died.

Mrs. Alphonse (Jeanne) Timpanelli and Mrs. Myles Eason were co-chairmen of the Ridgefield Garden Club’s “Appraisal Day.” The event allowed residents to bring their art, antiques, jewelry, rugs and furniture to the Community Center for appraisal at a fee of $5 an item. The proceeds went to support the Garden Club’s civic projects.

The Soccer Club of Ridgefield’s 16-and-younger travel team, coached by Al Diniz, won the state indoor cup in Wilton by beating Mansfield. Team members were Scott Roberti, Don Paquin, Mark Edwards, Tim Horton, Clif Onalfo, Richie Nicholas, Craig McPhadden, Brian Cuddebach, Peter Coffin, Tom Scheisser, Danny Dardenne and J.D. Marple.