On Friday, April 23rd, Winsted and Barkhamsted reached a significant milestone in municipal collaboration. That milestone was the final tie-in of the Mallory Brook Plaza to the Winsted sewer system. The original agreement between the two towns was signed in 2002 by then First Selectman Michael Fox and expired in 2017. The new, updated agreement was executed last fall, and, finally after 19 years, the physical connection was made. Mallory Brook Plaza and Lombard Ford will be the current users, and the sewer is sized for the homes along Old New Hartford Road in both Winsted and Barkhamsted, should they choose to hook up.
It is also sized for the planned construction of 20-30 affordable housing apartments on the farm behind the plaza by the private, non-profit Barkhamsted Housing Trust, Inc. This development is in the very early stages of planning activity, but will be able to take advantage of the sewers, along with the public water, when it is brought into Barkhamsted from the Winsted Town Line along Old New Hartford Road. The shopping plaza also intends to use the public water when it becomes available.
This very significant economic improvement for both the plaza and the Town was funded solely by the owner of the Plaza, Mallory Brook, LLC. The Town did not pay for any of the construction expenses.
This project typifies how small towns work together for the betterment of both communities.