By Mattie Vandiver

The snow and ice have melted, and like everyone else in town, the Community Association (CA) is planning for the warmer weather to come. First off for the CA is its annual cleanup day, held on the Saturday following Earth Day. Last year, because of Covid, there was a cleanup month instead, during which people were encouraged go out on their own to clean up the town, but cleanup day returns this year on Saturday, April 24. Volunteers should meet at 9 a.m. in front of the Hub.

Going into May, the CA begins its spring planting. The hanging baskets and planters around town are a project that was started a few years ago when Joel Howard became president of the association. For Memorial Day, the CA does a flag display on both the village and the memorial green. The 51 flags represent the 51 fallen soldiers from Norfolk in all the wars fought by the United States.

Also in May, the hand-painted town sign, which has been completely restored by local artist Madeline Faulk, will be reinstalled on the village green. 

The CA’s main focus right now is on restoring local monuments. “It has been on the table for several years to address deferred maintenance and redo repairs that were not done the best they could have been done,” said Barry Webber, current co-president, along with Doreen Kelly, of the association. 

The Joseph Battell Fountain on the village green and the World War I monument on the memorial green are currently being assessed by conservators experienced with this type of work. Two are from Norfolk: Martin Johnson, of Monuments Conservation Collaborative, and Carl Munson, a mason who works specifically on historic structures. Also part of the project is Frances Miller, of Conserve Art LLC, based in Hamden, Conn. The goal is to renovate these monuments to keep them in good shape for the next one hundred years. 

The Battell Fountain, designed by Stanford White with bronze work by Augustus St. Gaudens, was commissioned by Mary Eldridge in memory of her uncle Joseph Battell in 1889. “The fountain is the most significant architectural monument in Norfolk,” said Doreen Kelly. The World War I monument was constructed in 1921 by Alfredo Taylor, who designed many historic buildings around town.

The restoration of the Battell Fountain is the first full restoration the structure has had since it was erected. The first step is restoring the bronze work; other outdoor work will begin in May. The restorers need to clean the dirt out of the stone while not making the stones look new. The basin, which has shifted over the years, is going to be lifted and reset. The goal is to have the fountain running again by this summer.