Greenwich approves preliminary plan to replace Dorothy Hamill Rink, with conditions on trees, traffic and renderings

The Town of Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission voted unanimously on March 17 to move the municipal-improvement (MI) application for a replacement Dorothy Hamill Rink at Eugene Morlot Memorial Park to final, after nearly three hours of presentation and public comment.

DPW project manager Romano, presenting the revised plan, said the proposal flips the rink and baseball field to recenter a large, contiguous green and to move the rink building closer to Western Junior Highway with a new secondary entrance. Romano said the design grew from task-force work and public feedback and that the aim is to replace aging facilities with code-compliant, energy-improved amenities while retaining passive park space. "The work is stemmed off the work of the task forcewhich resulted in a recommendation for a flipped site at Morlot Park," Romano said during the presentation.

Why it matters: the project replaces a 54-year-old rink whose mechanical systems and accessibility no longer meet modern codes and creates a 300-foot regulation baseball field. Opponents warned the plan would regrade roughly 6.5 acres and bring about 11,500 cubic yards of fill, remove several dozen trees and change sightlines for adjacent residents. Supporters, including rink users and the Hamill task force, said a modern rink and consolidated green space would make the park safer and more usable year-round.

What the commission required: Commissioners approved the MI concept but attached a detailed list of follow-up requirements before returning for final approval. Among the commissions conditions: an annual schedule of use and hours of operation for the rink and park; updated traffic and parking analyses using current counts and ITE trip-generation methodology; a full construction phasing and fill-delivery plan identifying staging areas, truck routes and vehicle-trip estimates; photo or architectural renderings showing viewpoints from Western Junior Highway, the Memorial Grove, McKinney Terrace/Greenwich Communities housing and the main pedestrian approaches; additional plantings and a tree-warden review with a requirement to increase species diversity in the proposed rain gardens and to preserve the tree line along Western Junior Highway; and a safety plan for pedestrian crossings and fire-department access. The commission also asked DPW to continue EMAC consultations, including feasibility work on geothermal and to make the roof solar-ready.

Public comment: More than 25 speakers took part during the public-comment period. Kate Jekovich of the Greenwich Tree Conservancy told the commission the revised application "increases the estimated number of tree removals from 28 to 35" and urged that species, sizes and exact locations be shown before the commission decides final approval. Several Byram residents said the project would change the parks sense of place and urged additional visualizations; skating and youth-sports advocates pressed for a regulation-sized rink and improved locker rooms. "This proposal replaces failing, deteriorating assets with modern, code-compliant facilities," said task-force member Joe Rothenberg in support.

Next steps: DPW must return with updated technical studies, the required renderings posted for public viewing at Town Hall, a detailed construction phasing plan (including a fill plan and truck routing), and documentation of actions with the tree warden and DPW sewer and engineering staff. The commission also asked that any fire-department-driven changes to the site configuration be brought back for discussion prior to final site-plan submission. The MI approval was recorded as a motion to move the application to final, with a 5-0 vote.

Ending: The commissions action advances a contentious but high-profile municipal project, while preserving the ability for neighbors and staff to require more detail and adjustments before a final permit is issued. DPW said it would return with the requested materials and additional renderings for public review.