Parks

Danbury Westerners

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Recreation Calendar

Tarrywile Park

	Maria Sanyshyn General Manager Robert V. Eberhard Chairman
Address:	100 Aunt Hack Road Danbury, CT
Telephone:	203-792-2550
Webpage:	Richter Park Golf Course

Agendas & Minutes:

The Stanley L. Richter Memorial Park is one of the finest leisure facilities in Connecticut. It forms a unique combination of both arts and recreational activities, attracting nearly 60,000 visitors annually. The championship golf course has been recognized as one of America's top 25 public golf courses and in 2008-2009 was selected as a 4-Star Best Places to Play course by Golf Digest. The park also features tennis courts, hiking trails, a fitness trail, cross country ski trails and sledding along with casual and fine dining. During the summer there are outdoor musicals and, throughout the year, the Richter Association for the Arts conducts shows and exhibits. Richter Park is governed by a nine member volunteer autonomous board which sets policy for management of the entire facility.

Description

Richter Park’s vision is to provide an outstanding recreational venue with a friendly, courteous and knowledgeable staff for the personal enrichment of both the residents of Danbury and its many out of town visitors.

Richter Park Golf Course encompasses over 180 acres of gentle rolling terrain nestled serenely between West Lake Reservoir and Boggs Pond.  Water comes into play on this scenic layout on 14 out of 18 holes and the greens are well guarded by 49 bunkers surrounding the course.  There are four sets of tees to choose from that will challenge all golfers regardless of skill. This Edward Ryder designed course is well matured and is bordered by large trees that make for a special treat in the fall with all the color in brilliant contrast against the backdrop of the hills.

Richter Park is also known for its prestigious art, music and theater productions which draw visitors from all over the Tri-State area. The Stanley L. Richter Association for the Arts hosts many events, ranging from the Annual Juried Art Show, where area artists exhibit their works, and the park’s own Antique Road show bringing collectors from miles around to assess their treasures.  Musicals at Richter, Fairfield County’s longest running outdoor theater, presents three Broadway style musicals under the stars each summer.  Why travel to Manhattan with productions of this quality right here in Danbury? The June – August 2010 season will showcase Guys and Dolls, 42nd Street and Carousel!

Also found at Richter Park is both casual and fine-dining at the acclaimed Café on the Green Restaurant.  With an award winning wine cellar of over 100 varieties, this Northern Italian restaurant is the perfect complement to a day of arts and recreation and offers the perfect setting for your special occasion.

For the Kids

Go for a family hike on one of two trails where you will travel on cleared, unpaved paths to enjoy some of the most spectacular views anywhere in the state.  Need a rest when you get to the top?  A recent Danbury Eagle Scout project provides newly cleared overlook areas and natural benches made from the recently fallen oak trees – perfect for a snack before heading back down.

Junior golf is always popular at Richter Park with Saturday morning clinics, summer camps, welcoming junior rates and its own Fran McCarthy Junior Golf Tournament for golfers ages 5–18.  Held in late August every year, it offers children the opportunity to show off their newly acquired skills.

In 2009. Richter Park received a grant from the United States Tennis Association to start a Junior tennis program.  Once again a bustling area of the park with junior tennis programs, springtime afterschool programs and summer clinics are now a quick sell out.  Instructors are trained by USTA QuickStart tennis coaches to employ the use of larger racquets, lower nets and larger balls to slow the game down making it easier for youngsters to learn and enjoy the game.

New in 2010 is Musicals at Richter Summer Youth Musical Theater workshop.  For children ages 10-17, the camp runs for 3 weeks in August and culminates with a full-scale production.  This year, Disney’s High School Musical, Jr. promises young and aspiring actors, dancers, singers and set builders a unique and fun summer experience.

Host of the Tri-State area’s only weekend, two-day amateur golf tournament, Richter Park continues to attract skilled golfers from all over.  Participants travel from the Carolinas and Texas, Chicago and California to participate in this first-class golf event.  And Richter Park is proud to give back to the community. Celebrating its 20th year, the Danbury Amateur and Richter Park has donated almost $400,000 in support of local Danbury charities.  Proceeds from the 2010 event will benefit Family and Children’s Aid and the YMCA’s Escape to the Arts programs.

Undergoing just under $1 million dollars in renovations since 2008, the golf course continues to be one of the most recognized golf courses in Connecticut.  Richter Park has been voted in the Top 10 as “Must Play” course in New England by the New England Journal of Golf, and the #1 “Favorite Course” in Connecticut. Rated “Top 50 Golf Courses in America and one of the top 5 in the State” in Golf Week magazine, this accolade was preceded by the 2008-2009 “Four Star Golf Course” award by Golf Digest in their Places to Play publication. Richter Park golf course has been rated numerous times as one of the top courses in the nation.

In early 2010, FORe, aka Friends of Richter, was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) in an effort to raise $10 million in private funds in support of the recently completed Richter Park Master Plan.  The plan is the collaboration of the City of Danbury, Richter Park Authority, Didona Associates and Mungeam Cornish Golf Design and has won awards throughout the state.   Among its  many improvements, the plan calls for expanded hiking trails, a complete renovation and update of the Richter House, including a new and improved theater and catering facility, along with changes to the golf course and the addition of a driving range.

In 2009, Richter House was added to the State’s Register of Historic Places and in 2010 was the recipient of a $75,000 matching grant with the support from the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism.  This grant allows for the early stages of the Richter Park Master Plan to get underway.