First Selectman's Report: April 17, 2026

Spring Clean-Up Neighborhood Challenge
Help us clean up Colchester! Starting next week, pick-up your kits for our spring clean-up challenge, a community-wide effort to beautify local neighborhoods and public spaces.

Residents are encouraged to form teams by neighborhood, street, or community group and participate in friendly competition while making a positive impact. Participants will collect litter, improve shared spaces, and submit photos showcasing their efforts.

This event will begin on Saturday, April 25th at 8am. Preregistration is appreciated at Click here to sign-up! Please contact Colchester Parks and Recreation at (860) 537-7297 with questions. 

After you register you will be eligible for a “Spring Clean Up starter kit” which includes gloves, garbage bags, a coupon for a free ice cream at Mel’s Downtown Creamery and safety tips. You can pick up your kits at the Colchester Recreation office during the week of April 20-24 from 8:30am-4:30 pm or Sat., April 25 from 8am-12pm at the town hall.

Groups will collect garbage using the bags we provide. The Colchester Transfer Station will accept these bags on April 25, 28 or May 2 free of charge. In case of inclement weather, you can plan a different day for your neighborhood challenge as long as garbage is disposed of at the Transfer Station on or before Sat., May 2, 2026.

After you are done, please email a group photo showcasing your group and the bags collected, and before and after pictures to [email protected]. We will use the photos to choose winners in several categories including “Most Trash Collected”, “Best Team Spirit”, “Largest Group of Collectors”, and more! All groups will be entered into the random drawing. Winners will receive a gift card to a local restaurant where they can celebrate their success. The photos will be used on the Town website, social media and for promotional marketing.

On Saturday, May 2nd, Casella Waste Systems will be sending volunteers to Colchester to assist with clean-up of parts of the airline trail and downtown. Thank you to Casella for supporting our efforts to clean-up Colchester!

Donate Life Month
April is National Donate Life Month. This week, Colchester raised the Donate Life flag to recognize organ donors and to encourage others to register. A small ceremony was held at Town Hall on Monday morning, led by Colchester resident Peter Kupczak who shared the story of his daughter whose organs were donated when she passed away in 2002. Others shared their stories as recipients, family members of donors who had passed, and living donors. Resident Shawn Pelletier shared the story of how her husband was the recipient of a kidney donation over a decade ago which led her on a journey to “pay it forward” someday. Last year, Shawn gave the gift of life herself when she became a living donor providing a kidney to a stranger.

For information on how to register as an organ donor, click here: https://registerme.org/campaign/ct.

Bacon Academy Roof Building Committee
The Bacon Academy Roof Building Committee held its first meetings this month and is close to finalizing an RFP for engineering services for replacement of the Bacon Academy roof. In February, voters authorized the replacement of the Bacon Academy roof and a building committee was formed as required to manage the project.

Public Works Streetsweeping
As our road maintenance crews continue cleaning up from winter, please be on the lookout for our workers and vehicles on the road. Streetsweeping is continuing this month. Please be patient and give our crews space while they operate.

Field R4 Closed for Sinkhole Treatment

Last Friday, the opening of a sinkhole was identified by Public Works on Field R4 at the Town RecPlex. The field was immediately closed for further investigation. This week, ground penetrating radar was performed on the field which identified more potential sinkholes throughout this field. The sinkholes are believed to be related to material used during the original construction of that field. Public Works is working on a plan to perform the repairs as quickly as possible, but Field R4 will remain closed for at least several weeks for safety reasons.

Youth Services Summer Trips

Colchester Youth Services' 2026 Summer Calendar is here! Registration opens online on Monday, April 20th at Colchester Youth and Social Services. Make sure to follow Colchester Youth Services on Facebook for all summer & trip updates. You can find us under Youth and Social Services Town of Colchester!

Memorial Day Parade
Applications to join the 2026 Memorial Day Parade are available on the Town website. The application form, instructions and the drop off/route map for participants are all available here.

This year's theme is "Colchester Honors 250 Years of Heroes" with prizes awarded for Best Marching Unit, Most Original Theme Float and Most Patriotic Float.

Veterans Coffeehouse - April 18

The next Colchester Coffee House gathering will be held at Cragin Library on April 18th at 10:00 - 12:00. All former and current military members are welcome to join. Call Mary Gura at (860) 537-2921 with questions or suggestions for presenters. 

Colchester Bike Rodeo - May 2
We are excited to host a Bike Rodeo for students in grades K–5, offering a fun and educational opportunity for young riders to build confidence and learn essential bicycle safety skills. The Bike Rodeo will take place on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at 10am.

This free event will feature hands-on safety instruction, obstacle courses, helmet fittings, and interactive skill stations designed to teach children the rules of the road in a safe and supportive environment. Participants will rotate through stations that include proper helmet fitting and safety checks, basic bike handling and maneuvering skills, traffic sign recognition and safe street crossing, starting, stopping, and signaling techniques, and fun agility and obstacle challenges. Local safety professionals and community volunteers will be on site to provide instruction and encouragement. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Register with Colchester Parks and Recreation at www.colchesterct.gov/recreation-department though walk-ins will be welcome as space allows. 

For more information, please contact the Recreation department at (860) 537-7297 or email us at [email protected].

*Participants must bring their own bicycle and helmet.  

Let’s ride toward a safer, healthier community—one pedal at a time!

• When: Saturday, May 2, 2026, at 10am
• Where: Guardian Angels/St. Andrews church parking lot, 128 Norwich Ave., Colchester, CT.
• Sponsored by: Colchester Police, Colchester Land Use, and Colchester Parks and Recreation

National Trails Day - June 6
In celebration of National Trails Day, organized annually by the American Hiking Society, Colchester Parks and Recreation invites residents to take part in a guided community hike at Sablitz Preserve on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at 10am. Join us at the Sablitz Preserve parking area, located at 556 Middletown Rd., Colchester CT.

This event encourages individuals and families to explore local trails, enjoy the outdoors, and learn more about the natural beauty within the community. Trail maps and community park information will also be available.

National Trails Day is a nationwide effort to inspire people to discover and support trails while promoting outdoor recreation and conservation.

For more information, please contact Colchester Parks & Recreation at (860) 537-7297.

I’ll be helping to guide hikes that morning — hope to see you there!

In the meantime, keep an eye out for our 2026 trail medallions hidden at parks and trails around town. The first batch of 2026 medals went out this week and are already being found!

Sincerely,
Bernie Dennler
First Selectman
Town of Colchester