South Windsor, Connecticut

SOUTH WINDSOR , CONNECT I CUT “We are an old farming community that’s grown up over the last 50 years,” Lipe explains, “so farming and keeping our agricultural roots present in our community is still very important to us. We are also, however, a progressive town, taking on new initiatives in recycling and complete streets planning with a big initiative for more sidewalks and bikeways - something our public has demanded and we have taken seriously over the last 10 years. In other areas related to energy and energy efficiencies, we are able to demonstrate what we’re doing in some of our Town buildings, as well as our net metering projects, and new energy- efficient street lighting.” People may be leaving the state of Connecticut, but as a whole, South Windsor is growing. According to Town Manager Matthew Galligan, “We have a very strong school system, very strong economy, and housing for everyone from high end to low. South Windsor has an ambiance and people just want to be here for those reasons.” The town has continued to add new housing over the last 10 years, in the form of apartments and single-family housing, which could add another one or two thousand people to the population by the 2020 census. There are new school projects in the works, due to a growing school population, which is a rarity in Connecticut. “Our schools were built in the '60s, notes Galligan. “We did the first school, Orchard Hill that got approved. It’s up and running and built, and now in its second year. We have two schools going in brand new: P.R. Smith Elementary and Eli Terry Elementary. The last one, Pleasant Valley Elementary, will come in two or three years. All the schools will have the latest technology and assets so that we can enhance the education of the kids in South Windsor. We use the schools for many community events; our recreation programs, and our basketball, baseball, and soccer programs. Community support is very strong. They voted very heavily in a referendum - 70 percent or better - to approve all this, because they realize that it’s important for the town to make sure it has a good