By Peter Barhydt and John Kriz
On a warm and sunny June 4, New Canaan’s renovated police station on South Avenue was officially opened in a festive ribbon cutting led by First Selectman Dionna Carlson, Police Chief John DiFederico other police officers, Police Commission and Police Building Committee members, and numerous town leaders.
“This building stands as a symbol of our town’s commitment to public safety, to modern law enforcement, and most importantly, to the dedicated men and women who serve and protect us every day,” said First Selectman Carlson. “It represents years of planning, collaboration, and unwavering support from town officials, law enforcement leadership, and residents.”
Renovating the century-old police station has been a multi-year, collaborative effort involving many in town, including the Police Department, Police Commission, the four-and-a-half-year-old Police Department Building Committee under the leadership of Chairman Bill Walbert, the Town Council and Board of Selectmen — plus the neighbors, including New Canaan’s EMS (ambulance), the Schoolhouse Apartments and the Methodist Church. New Canaan’s Beautification League also contributed with landscaping support, and the lovely planters. It was an ‘all hands’ project. (For more information on the new Police Station, see https://www.newcanaansentinel.com/2025/05/29/new-police-station-opens/)
Given the age and prominence of the building, historic preservation issues were front and center. Says New Canaan resident Bob Doren, “I think it’s amazing that we’ve preserved the building.” He goes on to note that “We’ve done what the police department needs to keep us safe, but we’ve preserved the building in town. And what does it mean for the community? I think it means a lot for the community. I think it means that we can marry preservation and progress together.”
Former First Selectman Kevin Moynihan was pleased that the town was able to preserve “the very, very historic and beautiful building on South Avenue for the town.”
Bill Walbert, master of ceremonies at Wednesday’s ribbon cutting, said, “I think we reached a wonderful decision and conclusion here. By the way, in the end, I believe the town leaders reached the right decision. It was a beautiful building before we started the project. I believe we have made it even more beautiful. But more importantly, we have delivered a building that should last for another 100 years.” He concluded by remarking that the project was completed “ahead of time, under budget, and with a perfect worker safety record.
Police Chief John DiFederico remarked that, “This project was a major undertaking, and its completion marked a significant milestone for our department and the community we proudly serve. The improved space enhances our ability to carry out daily operations to strengthen teamwork and continue serving New Canaan with the highest standards of professionalism and care. We are especially thankful to the taxpayers of New Canaan for your trust and investment into this important project. Your support has made it possible to create a safe, modern and efficient facility that will serve our officers and the public for decades to come.”
However, it was not always destined that the Police Department’s building would be renovated, and the department returned there. Many possible sites were examined. Recalls Selectman Amy Murphy Carroll, who was on the town original building committee that took a hard look at all of the town’s properties and developed recommendations, “This is a project we’ve been working on since 2017. When it was inception age, so many people looked at it. We evaluated absolutely every option for where it could be. We ended up keeping the historic building and building it out in a beautiful way for the police department.”
Police Chief DiFederico summed his department’s new home this way, “It’s a great day — great day to be open and fully operational here. And we’re hoping for business. Let’s hope it’s a slow day.”
Peter Barhydt is the Editor in Chief of the New Canaan Sentinel. John J Kriz is 30+ year resident of New Canaan. Opinions expressed are their own.
