More than $21,000 raised for Fairfield’s Central Park tables

FAIRFIELD - The new tables planned for Fairfield's Central Park should arrive in October, and residents fundraising for them hope to reach their goal by the end of this month.

In July, the Fairfield City Council approved a plan to install eight permanent, metal tables in the city's Central Park. The Fairfield Parks and Recreation Foundation has set up a GoFundMe page where residents can contribute to the cause.

'Everyone loves Central Park; it's the perfect place for community gatherings, relaxing with friends and family, and enjoying good food from our amazing local restaurants,” states the GoFundMe page. 'These new tables will enhance these activities and make Central Park an even more inviting place for social gatherings.”

Council member Michael Halley led the effort to install the tables, which are being mostly privately funded. As of Monday, the parks and recreation foundation had raised $21,405 for the project. The lion's share of the fundraising thus far has come from a Greater Jefferson County Foundation grant. Halley said 28 donors have collectively donated a few thousand dollars toward the tables.

'Getting the full amount requested from the Greater Jefferson County Foundation really validated the timeliness of this project,” Halley said. 'Despite the global economic recession, people are still contributing what they can to make this happen. It shows how excited people are for this project.”

Halley said the project's initial budget was $50,000, though he believes the actual cost will be much lower than that, about $30,000, by using a combination of local contractors, volunteers and city crews. The city is not formally funding the project, although it is giving an in-kind contribution by having city crews complete some of the installation.

The tables will match the style and color of the benches throughout the downtown. Pine Hall Brick pavers will create a surface under the tables to match the 'elegant downtown crosswalks,” according to the GoFundMe page.

Two of the eight tables will be wheelchair accessible on one side, and table spacing will maintain social distancing standards with more than 8 feet between each table.

Halley said the best-case scenario is that the parks and rec foundation will be able to raise the rest of the funds needed to install the tables in October, though it's possible the tables won't be ready until next year.

'With the outdoor construction season ending soon, it's very hard to find contractors who are available to complete the work, so it's equally likely this will be an early spring 2021 project,” Halley said.