Be Adventurous in Your Own Backyard with CT Fastrak

You can ride the Fastrak bus free from March 28 through April 5 and then say ‘Hello!’ from West Hartford to explore new neighborhoods at a discount.

Courtesy CT Fastrak

Submitted by Hello! West Hartford

Hello! West Hartford has organized a two-weekend campaign to ride the new CT Fastrak and explore where it leads. Hello! West Hartford is dedicated to bridging cultures and embracing all that neighborhoods have to offer.

When Hello! board member, Clare Taylor, heard the new CT Fastrak Bus would be free March 28 through April 5, she thought, “What a great opportunity to reach out and learn about our neighbors and ride the new bus line.”

Taylor believes many West Hartford residents have never ridden our public transportation and are uncertain about the cost, how to pay, and the where the bus lines leads. She thought that giving residents a reason to ride would get more people out to try our public transportation.

“Kids will find the adventure exciting and will have a new perspective on buses and the cities around us,” Taylor shared. She arranged for six business to offer discounts to people who ride during the two opening weekends.

To participate residents need to:

1. Begin their bus adventure start at the Elmwood or Flatbush Station
2. Take a picture or sketch themselves riding the CT Fastrak bus
3. When they arrive at a listed business share their picture or drawing, and
4. Say “Hello” from West Hartford in any language.

Participating businesses include: Hot Tomatoes offering 10 percent off entrees; Black-eyed Sally’s BBQ & Blues with free kid meals with adult entree purchase; Agave Grill 10 percent off entrees; and Black Bear Saloon is offering 15 percent off entrees. In addition, the Wadsworth Atheneum is giving one free admission with each paid admission and East Side Restaurant in New Britain is giving 10 percent off entrees.

The two West Hartford Fastrak stations are:

• Elmwood Station at 646 New Park Ave. Buses are every six minutes during peak hours and every 10-12 minutes during off-peak. There are 27 onsite parking spaces.
• Flatbush Station at 470 New Park Ave. Buses are every four minutes during peak hours, every six to nine minutes during off-peak. There are 31 onsite parking spaces spaces.

Come and be adventurous in your own backyard the last weekend in March and the first weekend in April and say “Hello” from West Hartford. At the end of April, be sure to join the town-wide Multicultural Celebration at the Town Hall on April 27, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. This grand event should not be missed with over 500 people celebrating through music, food, dance and language.

For  more information contact Clare Taylor, Communications Director of Hello! West Hartford. 860-833-3194 or email: [email protected].