And Now . . . Norfolk 2033!

By Kurt Steele

A strong sense of collaborative pride marked Norfolk Now’s second symposium in Infinity Hall, sponsored by the newspaper on its 20th anniversary.

John Dankosky, now a major figure with NPR News in Washington, flew up for the day to again moderate the discussion with five panelists and an audience that exceeded the crowd at the 2013 forum. “I was struck by the same upbeat talk that permeated the last event,” he said. “But I was even more impressed with the accomplishments that had been talked about then but had actually been achieved.”

The centerpiece of downtown Norfolk is the new cooperatively-owned general store with its variety of grocery and specialty goods, many from local producers. It quickly became a social hub with its spacious tables, free wi-fi, and excellent coffee bar.

The Regional Fiber-Optic Initiative pioneered by Kim Maxwell and the Economic Development Commission has been surprisingly successful. Young techies with families looking for a good school in a rural setting have been settling here in steadily growing numbers. In 2013, less than 10 percent of residents worked from home using the Internet. That is now over 20 percent. High-speed fiber-optic accessibility has also made possible the new Norfolk Digital Arts Center, formed in partnership by Yale, Infinity Hall and the Norfolk Library.

New families to Norfolk, most of them engaged in Internet-based enterprises, give the reorganized local elementary school high marks and cite it as a key factor in their decision to move to town.

The new Rail Trail connecting Norfolk to Canaan may soon extend to Winchester. It has made Norfolk a byword for outdoor recreation in the area and has proved a strong attraction for tourists and second-home buyers.

Thanks to lobbying from Town Hall, Norfolk will be on the express rush-hour bus route to Hartford, according to Selectman Sue Dyer, and Norfolk is now on Peter Pan’s bus route to New York.

Much credit for all the good news goes to the Norfolk Civic Association, which coordinates the efforts of town non-profits through their monthly meetings, and to Norfolk’s municipal corporation, which boosted its responsiveness to residents by becoming more Internet-friendly.

And Norfolk has edged out Colebrook in this year’s list of “Coolest Small Towns.”