This week’s focus on the Behind the Rocks area of Hartford required multiple outings, the first getting interrupted by high winds that were knocking branches from the trees at such force that the walk ended with a bus ride back to the office. Calmer weather a few days after allowed for completion of a somewhat planned route. This meant a total of eight miles — most of them pleasant — on foot.
Not pictured, but a recent trip through the neighborhood included a free range rooster sighting. We have heard roosters along Flatbush Avenue and seen a mid-sized collection of chicken coops elsewhere in the neighborhood, but this was the first loose, unattended rooster we have spotted out and about.
The Mary Hooker Magnet School (whatever fancy, and unnecessarily long name it goes by now) really is a model for how school gardens should look. We have seen some sad attempts elsewhere, but they’ve got it locked down. When we walked by this time, adults and youth were outside, tending the raised beds in the community garden.
This area has seen improvements when it comes to bike infrastructure, with more protection added to the bike lanes on Brookfield Street. There is still far to go to make this area more walkable. Most of that could be accomplished if property owners trimmed back vegetation around sidewalks.
The area around Charter Oak Marketplace continues to cater to motorists and needs more attention. There is no sidewalk on the north side of Flatbush Avenue between Brookfield and New Park Avenue. The bus stop is in the middle of a vast parking lot where the pedestrian infrastructure is present in places, but missing in others. When you consider how many retail and fast food employees rely on public transportation to get to their jobs — nevermind the number of WalMart customers alone who take the bus to shop — you have to wonder why this area of the neighborhood has not more fully embraced Complete Streets policies.
