Living in Redding (Norwalk, Danbury, Fairfield: house, transfer, neighborhoods)

bemn · 09-29-2006, 06:34 AM

Does anyone have any thoughts on living in Redding?? Schools?? Commute to NY??? Good neighborhoods??? Recreation??? Any advice appreciated!!

jdhall1 · 09-29-2006, 12:42 PM

Redding is a very quiet and peaceful town. The is only 1 elementary and middle school for the town and the high school is shared with a similiar small town, Easton. The high school consistently ranks in the top 5 CAPT (Connecticut Academic Performace Test).
There are a number of recreational activities in the area. There is an arboretum, the Mark Twain library, a restaurant with live music, as well as a state park and part of the Devil's Den Nature preserve is in town. There is also a golf course in town and several in the region.Many students are involved in the athletic programs through the schools. Sherwood Island State Park (shoreline beach) is 35 minutes away and Candlewood lake (inland lake) is about 25 minutes away. There is almost no businesses in Redding so you would either have to drive up to Danbury or down to Fairfield to do your shopping.
There is a train station in Redding, but it takes about 2 hrs to get to Grand Central (via transfer in South Norwalk) or depending if you decide to lve on the other side of redding, Branchville (ridgefield) station would save you about 10 minutes on the trip. However, if you drive to Ridgefield, there is a park and ride shuttle into a station across the border in NY that would get you into the city 65 minutes. If you were to drive to NYC, it would be about 75 minutes give or take depending on traffic.

IslandGirl · 10-12-2006, 09:26 PM

I have lived on all sides of Redding and even in a section of Redding called Georgetown. The nearest shopping is 20 minutes, no matter how you slice it. The train is like the Hooterville Express which you have to change trains in Norwalk to get to the city. Or you can sit in terrible traffic on Route 7 before getting to the Merritt Parkway or I-95 which is lots of lemmings in tiny metal boxes.

You must really want to live in the woods to live in Redding. It is also very pricey to live in Redding. I was going to build a house in Bethel which is a bit North of Redding which was closer to Danbury which is great for convenience.

The taxes are also very high in Redding. And not much social life. People keep to themselves.

To get to the city easier, you could consider Western Danbury or Northern Ridgefield and use the Brewster,NY line which goes directly into Grand Central. A much better commute.