Committee advances downtown kiosk designs, cost and final location still unresolved

New Canaan’s Tourism and Economic Development Advisory Committee reviewed preliminary designs for a proposed downtown information kiosk and agreed on next steps while leaving funding and final siting unresolved. Committee members discussed a four-sided kiosk concept sized to fit the Main Street bump-out and asked the volunteer designer to produce priced construction drawings.
The discussion matters because the kiosk is intended to centralize visitor information and town postings in a high-foot-traffic location, and committee members said it could affect pedestrian flow and streetscape appearance. Members also flagged sponsorship as a likely funding route and discussed whether to replicate the unit at the railroad station later.
During the meeting, committee members examined two design directions: a modern, primary-colors concept and a more traditional four-sided kiosk. One committee member described the preferred option as “a 4 sided structure with 4 equal sides, and it's a little bit off the ground. And the roof kind of floats above it,” and noted the display panels would be recessed to create a clear frame around postings. The group discussed dimensions informally, saying each panel could be about a standard sheet width (roughly 4 feet), and cited the curb-to-planter distance on the bump-out as 16 feet, which constrains overall size.
Members said the design will proceed to pricing and construction drawings. The designer will produce dimensioned drawings and notes so the committee can get cost estimates; one committee member said the Ridgefield kiosk installation they reviewed previously cost about $30,000 but that Ridgefield’s unit was more complex (glass doors, octagonal plan) and the New Canaan version would be simpler. The committee discussed potential sponsors, including local service organizations such as the Rotary and the area realtor board, and agreed to circulate a PDF of the sketches to committee members for review.
Committee members also raised placement and duplication questions. A suggestion to add a second kiosk at the railroad station was offered; the project lead said the bump-out on Main Street is the initial intended site and confirmed the group has not yet budgeted for construction. One committee member summarized next steps: finalize a design, obtain pricing, and then explore sponsorship or other funding to cover construction costs with a tentative build target of next July if funding is secured.
No formal vote on construction or funding occurred; the committee treated the materials and drawings as a design-stage discussion and directed staff and the volunteer designer to produce priced drawings and circulate them to members for further consideration.