This out of towner made some very funny observations about Stratford that I made years ago when I first arrived here in town. Observations that I forgot all about and chalked up to quirky town character.

Jarret is his name and Jarret is one heck of a writer. He poked fun at the things that deserved to be poked fun at and noticed some of my most appreciated parts of Stratford.

Jarret, you’re not the only one that appreciates that Victorian era section of Stratford that you walked through. That historic district is hands down one of our most precious commodities.

Check out the blog entry here. You’ll be entertained by his wit and laugh at some of his observations.

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William (Bill) Hanney was the contractor that was chosen to renovate and even potentially operate the landmark Shakespeare Theatre here in downtown Stratford, CT.  The word is that the Theatre could possibly be ready in as little as two weeks, you may even see some actors and actresses take the stage before the end of 2009 according to Hanney.

Hanny, his lawyer and Mayor Miron are still working on contract negotiations, with which they expect to have an agreement within two weeks.  In the meantime, Hanney has completed a proposal that will allow him to begin renovations on the theatre before weather conditions get worse and prevent or slow the renovation progress.

Stratford’s Town Council has bonded an additional $600,000 to cover project expenses such as increased salaries which are required for government sponsored jobs such as this.  The increases are based on estimates mandates a price tag increase of up to twenty-five percent.

Hanney’s current Rhode Island theatre productions often draw large enough audiences to fill at least half of the 1,500 seat capacity in the Shapespeare Theatre, he expects to see the same numbers here in Stratford once the shows begin.

So what do I think about all of this?  Well, I think that the soon to be renovated Shakespeare Theatre is just one more reason you and your family should be living the good life in Stratford, CT!

This article was guest posted by Vicky L. proud Connecticut resident and provider of Connecticut real estate license requirements.

This neighborhood in Stratford gets a walk score of 60 out of 100 points making it “somewhat walkable”. You can see how far away the grocery store and other convenience stores are. It show parks, libraries, and fitness clubs too. Pretty much everything is included here. At least everything that I can think of anyway. This tool seems pretty accurate.

The only drawback is that walk distances are calculated in a “as straight as the crow” flyes format. These distances are the shortest distances between two points and not the actual walking route.  As great as this tool is for helping you discover a neighborhood in Stratford CT it has its drawbacks. Walkscore.com is working on fixing this to make the walking distances more accurate.

I’m not the only Stratford resident who has never been to Roosevelt Forest either. Apparently, most residents have never been there and some of us have never even heard Roosevelt Forest.

What’s the matter with us?

Here’s why this Stratford resident that he has never been to Roosevelt Forest:

I have no excuse. I just never think of going there even though I have the best intention every time the thought crossed my mind. The family and I just go someplace else.

Here’s why this Stratford CT resident should go to Rooselvelt Forest:

I’m a bit of a “tree hugger”. I like to take nature walks and go hiking. Not hardcore hiking but more nature trails with a little off the trail exploration muxed in here and there. Stratford CT’s Roosevelt Forest is absolutely perfect for these type of hikes.

Even worse is that I like to ride my bike. I’m usually good for about a ten mile ride on a nice day if the mood strikes. The trails at Roosevelt Forest are perfect for bike riding.

My kids would love it there too. There is a pond and various streams for them to wade into and explore. There are picnic tables for us to eat lunch at. There are salamanders and frogs to catch. Trees to climb and playgrounds to explore.

I never think of going to Roosevelt Forest when I am looking for someplace to go with the kids. Roosevelt Forest would even be a fun place to explore today with the fresh snow cover that is coming down.

I’d like to say we are going this weekend but it’s cold outside. Very cold. I have to put Roosevelt’s Forest at the top if the list for this spring. I should be ashamed to call myself a resident of Stratford Connecticut and have never been to Roosevelt Forest.

Our Dog Scoobie Doo Playing In The Snow

I’m trying to put together a list of local dog parks in Stratford, or in a nearby town, and I need your help.

Update: I received a reply from the dog warden here in Stratford. She told me that we do not have dog park here in Stratford but that one is in the works. The closest ones are in Milford and Fairfield. She also gave me this link that shows all of the dog parks in CT.

I have a dog and I would love to take him to a dog park here in Stratford to play with other dogs off of a leash.

Do you know of any? I walk my dog to Stonybrook Park here in Stratford but I can’t take him off of the leash in there. I’d love to let him run a bit and to let him socialize with other dogs.

I emailed the Stratford animal shelter and asked the very same question. Hopefully, they will have an answer for us.

As I find parks here in Stratford CT, assuming there are any, I will update this page and make a list to share with other dog owners in town.

Do you know of any dog exercise areas here in Stratford? If you do please share them with us in the form of a comment below.