Paving the way: ‘Jack’s Alley’ opens for foot traffic
June 5, 2024 | By Sandy Yusen and Lisa Scagliotti
A sunny Saturday morning greeted the scene on Stowe Street this weekend as the construction tape was removed and people filled the alley to inspect its transformation from a tired blighted passageway to Waterbury’s newest little park space.
A sign affixed to the side of 23 Stowe Street, home to Stowe Street Emporium, bears the new Jack’s Alley name, honoring former shopkeeper Jack Carter whose dream it was to make the alley a welcoming community space.
The official place name sign is affixed to 23 Stowe Street. Photo by Gordon Miller
“For many of you, this was just an alley…for Jack, it was a dream to transform the alley from a space into a place everyone could be proud of,” said Karen Nevin, executive director of the community and economic development organization Revitalizing Waterbury.
“For me, this is such happy tears today to see Jack’s dream come true. It’s so community-driven…that’s what makes me the happiest,” said Kathy Murphy, co-owner of Stowe Street Emporium today.
A collection of local organizations and business owners including RW, Waterbury Rotary, Waterbury Arts, and MakerSphere along with the alley property owners the Steiner family and local Masons chapter worked on the project design and fundraising. With a price tag now estimated at $230,000, fundraising continues. An online campaign running through June 14 has reached its goal to collect $20,000 to be matched with an additional $40,000 from a state grant.
“Seeing a very blighted space come to life far exceeded my expectations. The best part is the collaboration of a lot of different people and organizations. It’s a celebration of the town,” said Rotarian and Waterbury Select Board member Mike Bard.
The dominant feature of the alley now is the brick path that’s replaced old, cracked asphalt. Its curved design contains hundreds of engraved red bricks purchased by project supporters in a fundraiser. As several musicians from TURNmusic played, people milled about reading the messages on the stones, many finding their own.
“It’s kind of a moment in history. We see people’s names on bricks who have since passed away. It’s a time capsule that’s visible,” remarked RW volunteer, Rotarian and state Rep. Theresa Wood.
A special painting created by Waterbury artist and friend to Carter, Sarah-Lee Terrat, was unveiled at the ceremony. Mounted in an inset on the side of the building, the image depicts a view as if through a window into an early 20th-century general store with Carter at the counter. Terrat wasn’t at the event but project committee member Laura Parette read a short statement from the artist: “I love this town and I’m proud to be a part of its continuing revitalization,” she said.
In an interview afterward, Terrat said she’d imagined the concept for a long time. “It was originally an idea Jack shared with me in 2004,” she said. Some of the details in the painting came from historical photos from the early 1900s such as Snowball Flour. “Then I had some fun with others,” she added, pointing out Ted’s Elixir Cure All and Carter’s Baked Beans.
Jack's Alley from above. Photo by Gordon Miller
Alternating white bricks in the pattern gave some a chance to play the hopscotch-like game “hot lava” to walk along without touching the red ones. “Jack would have loved the improvements to the alley, but what would have made him happiest would be to see people congregating as neighbors and friends,” Parette said, taking in the scene.
Planning for the project began in earnest in November 2020. Carter passed away in June 2021. At a memorial gathering soon after his death, friends and community members pledged to see the project through. Saturday’s opening came 41 committee meetings, 408 donations and 373 engraved bricks later, Nevin said.
Still to come this summer are final touches to the project including lighting, planters, benches and refurbishing a faded original painted Lee jeans advertisement on one of the alley’s exterior brick walls. A grand opening will be planned later this year. For now, the space is open for the public to use.
“The Select Board was happy to be able to contribute some ARPA funds to help us reach this great conclusion,” said Waterbury Select Board Chair Roger Clapp. “We’re thrilled that the alley is open in time for the summer season.”
La Strada owner Michael Miller (left) and Larry Murphy, co-owner of Stowe Street Emporium, are business neighbors alongside the Jack's Alley. Photo by Gordon Miller
The town kicked in $20,000 for the project from federal American Rescue Plan Act COVID-19 recovery funding last year.
Michael Miller, owner of La Strada Bakery at the southern end of the alley, reflected on how the effort mirrors on a small scale Waterbury’s greater transformation over the past several decades.
“From burdock weeds and pigeon nests to the alley today – Waterbury has finally come fully into the 21st century. Thirty years ago Waterbury was a working town. You went through fast – but not too fast or you’d get pulled over,” he said. “Now it’s not a daytime town, it’s an evening and weekend tourism town. It’s really changed. It’s not an alley anymore. It’s a plaza and park.”