Page 16 - Wallingford Magazine Issue 59 Spring 2026

ARCY, the Muralist on
the left with Tim Ryan,
Member of the Steering
Committee on the right

TOWN CENTER ALLEY

OME
C
V
COMES ALIVE
E
S ALI

by Steve Knight

There are many reasons that Wallingford friends and executives at Liberty Bank take shape, first championed by daugh-
can be described as a successful com- headquarters in Middletown have ex- ter Margaux, and soon joined by former
munity, but foremost among them is plored ways to honor his accomplish- EDC colleague and Liberty Bank board
the remarkable number of people who ments both as a leading citizen of Wall- member Tim Ryan. Tim assumed the
devote hundreds of volunteer hours in ingford and longtime board chairman leadership role and recruited other for-
organizations, government commissions of Liberty Bank. Central to those efforts mer EDC members and friends of Mark
and committees, and their own endeav- was a desire to carry forward his vision including Rob Fritz, Joe Mirra and Gary
ors, driven by a shared desire to improve of enhancing and revitalizing the town Fappiano.
the community in which they live. center to which he had dedicated so
much of his time and energy. With this dedicated group formed, the
Mark R. Gingras was project moved forward. Attorney Greg
one of those people. One such vision that Mark held was to Allen undertook the many legal steps
bring an artistic flair to the alleyway sep-
necessary to bring the reimagination of
arating the building owned by Home- the alleyway to life. Liberty Bank gen-
As so many of you who knew and ad- stead LLC whose primary tenant is Gae- erously agreed to make funds available
mired him can attest, Mark Gingras was tano’s Tavern on Main, and the building for this and similar projects honoring its
both a successful Wallingford business- to the north owned and occupied by the former board chairman.
man and an extraordinary contributor Masonic Compass Lodge # 9 and home
of time, talent and leadership to his be- of Half Moon Cafe. This passage con- While the funds would come from Lib-
loved community. Just two of the many nects the Simpson Court parking lot ad- erty Bank, a 501-C-3 non-profit enti-
positions he held was that of Vice-Chair- jacent to North Main Street with the lot ty was required to legally pay the bills.
man of the Wallingford Economic Devel- at the rear. The Wallingford Arts & Cultural Alliance
opment Commission and Chairman of (founded by Mark Gingras and Rob Fritz)
the Board of Liberty Bank. During their travels throughout Europe was asked to participate. Beyond its ad-
over the years, Mark and his wife Chris- ministrative role, WACAs deep connec-
To the shock and tine were inspired by the way similar tions with the art community proved in-
deep sorrow of his alleyways were transformed by the use valuable in executing the mural project.
family, and all those of large art murals painted on the walls
who knew him, Mark and architectural metal archways on ei- The alleyway itself, located between the
passed unexpected- ther end. Mark had shared his ideas with building owned by Barnes Homestead
ly on March 7, 2024. his Economic Development colleagues LLC to the south and the Masonic Com-
His full obituary can as well as his daughters Margaux and pass Lodge No. 9 to the north, co-owned
be found here: Brynn. by these two entities also required their
cooperation. While that support was
In the wake of that loss, his family, In July of 2025, the project began to easily forthcoming, the Masonic Lodge

16 WALLINGFORD MAGAZINE - SPRING 2026