Volunteer Spruces Up Train Station

Friday’s warm weather was perfect timing for Norwalker Michael Mushak to bring his crew down to the SoNo Train station and work on the driveway entrance from Monroe Street. The wide asphalt entrance to the eastbound side of the station has been slowly improving with recent restoration of the station itself, the new bridge over Monroe Street and the relocation of the taxi stand.

“For many residents and pedestrians living in SoNo, this area has been a challenge,” said Parking Authority Administrator Kathy Hebert. “Tulip Tree has kindly donated the plantings and work to make this area look better.”

Tulip Tree Site Design is the landscape design firm that Michael Mushak owns. A frequent volunteer on spring clean ups and beautification projects, Mushak also serves as a Zoning Commissioner. Mushak has sponsored neighborhood adopt-a-spots and a gateway sign leading into his Golden Hill neighborhood.

This dedication to beautifying Norwalk has sometimes put him at odds with the City functionaries. A recent complaint about a millionaire absentee property owner whose property featured an overflowing trash dumpster rankled a few at City Hall. 

“This dumpster is really a metaphor for what is wrong with the enforcement ability of city officials, whose hands are often tied by out-dated and inefficient rules that involve months or years of court dates, set by out-of-town judges, that allow negligent and even criminal property owners to get away with violating health, safety, and zoning codes for years after being given notices of violation,” wrote Mushak in an email to city officials.

Yet the email drew action. On Friday, the same day Mushak and his crew was landscaping at the SoNo train station, the dumpster was finally emptied, after over six weeks of sitting in the Harbor Ave. neighborhood.

Last year, Mayor Richard A. Moccia responded to resident complaints about litter, and hired Larry Losio to work with property owners and businesses in the commercial areas to clean up some bad practices.

Chronic violators on Fort Point Street, lower East Avenue,  West Avenue and North Main Street haven’t followed the city government’s regulation that requires all garbage put out for trash pickup to be in covered containers. After the winter’s snow melt, the evidence of litter is still prevalent around Norwalk. The work of Losio and volunteers like Mushak will see no shortage of demand.

Hebert said, "We are lucky to have residents like Mike who give time and money towards making Norwalk a better looking city."