Residents urge pause on Founders Walk road plan, cite safety concerns for playground and fields

Dozens of residents and youth-sports volunteers urged the Milford Board of Aldermen on Feb. 3 to halt or rethink a planned roadway through the park area behind the Milford Public Library, arguing the route would place a new vehicle thoroughfare between playground areas and athletic fields.

The concerns came during the public-comment portion of the meeting, where speakers described frequent congregation of families near the pavilion and fields and warned that the road “between the fields and the courts and the basketball courts” would create a new hazard. "I'm here in opposition to the road at Fowler Field," said Scott Montfort, a league volunteer, adding that parents, siblings and tents often gather in the open green space near the proposed alignment. "Let's pause the project ... and come up with some options that will work for everybody."

Why it matters: The project has been described by its backers as a safety and accessibility improvement; opponents said it swaps a parking-lot crossing problem for a new straightaway that could encourage cut-through traffic. The board must weigh those competing safety claims before moving ahead.

Supporters of the plan said it is intended to address existing safety issues near the library and footbridge. State Sen. James Roney, who said he served on the building committee when the project was accepted in 2022, told the board the design now includes sidewalks, four crosswalks, a regraded parking lot and new fencing around playground and ball-field areas. "We know that the way the plan is, it makes it safer if you're coming across the footbridge," Roney said, and noted the committee had met multiple times and incorporated public feedback.

Residents and volunteers pressed specific concerns. Mike Giorgetti, a longtime volunteer and league president, said leagues do tens of thousands of dollars of maintenance and rely on contiguous warm-up and congregating space: "That road has to be moved from the present plan on. Fix everything else, but not that road." Matt Paterna, a coach and business owner, told aldermen the project would solve a non-existent problem while creating new risks: "If there was a problem and we had an issue in the past, I would say, OK, we should consider this. But the fact that we haven't had an issue ... this is not a great idea."

Other speakers offered mixed views. Several parents and caretakers — including Lauren Mueller and Kathy Patterson — said they support safety improvements that clarify where cars and pedestrians belong. "The safest thing that you can do to keep people and cars where they need to be is to create very clearly designated places for cars and very clearly designated places for people," Mueller said. Sarah Wood, who called attention to accessibility and drainage problems around the footbridge and playground, urged aldermen not to conflate appearance with safety: "This project isn't about making the city look pretty for the sake of it. It's about basic safety and function."

Board context and next steps: Multiple speakers said they wanted a pause and a focus group to explore alternatives; the mayor and aldermen have said the project team has incorporated changes — including plans for fencing, taller backstop fencing and crosswalks — but no final construction vote appeared on the Feb. 3 agenda. Several speakers referenced the project’s 2022 approval and the work of a building committee that has convened since then.

The board heard the comments during its regular meeting; no final policy decision or construction authorization was recorded at the Feb. 3 session.

Ending: Residents and volunteer coaches asked aldermen to delay further action and convene additional community review; supporters said the submitted plan includes targeted safety mitigations. The board did not take a final vote on construction at the Feb. 3 meeting.