RusThompson

Sep25,2000

Sitting on their hands “Recreation”

Recreation, what a topic, one of my favorites. I would like to thank Russ Certo for his letter two weeks ago, I don’t think Russ, Larry Playfair or the adhoc committee got the Thank you they deserved for all the work they did coming up with the plan for the Rec. center. They surely don’t deserve criticism from HefIka and the Recreation Advisory Board. The admission from Heftka that the Rec. advisory board has been sifting on their hands for 18 months is the understatement of the year. Where has this board been? and why haven’t they spoken out about the condition of the recreation? Why didn’t they speak out when the town spent $104,000 of rec money for the purchase of wetlands? Where were they when the sledding hill at Vet’s Park had to be closed due to the danger from broken glass and rocks? They have been silent while the town has spent over $250,000 this year on wetlands and trees and have been blowing off the Youth of this island. An article written Aug 28, in the Buffalo News said “Scenic Woods may start, funded or not”. The town is hoping for a $250,000 grant from the state Dept of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. “We could cut some trails and maybe do a small gravel parking area” said Pete McMahon, Snow mobile trails will be cut in so they are safe and the machines will be kept away from the wetlands we want to preserve, said Heftka. Sam Hoyt has added his two cents and $250,000. “we’d like to help by building trails to allow shore side fishing and put in a car top boat launching area”, for a total of $750,000 on this wasteland and they’re proud.

Who is going to benefit from all of this? Quality Quest is the biggest winner, they can now boast that they control 400 acres more of wetlands and green space than the Recreation and Open space plan called for. The snow mobile club will have a safe path and the cross country skiers can use this park as long as they stay away from those expensive wetlands. Is this the best they can offer the people of Grand Island for $750,000? are we are stuck with this plan for Public access to the water, a canoe path?

With the thousands of feet of water frontage we can do better than that. Why not a River walk with a dock and a ramp to launch real boats, a grassy area for sun bathing, a picnic area with grills and a horse shoe pit, there is so much that could be done with that kind of money and river front land. The worst part is, it appears that town is following the city of Buffalo and Niagara Falls into ruin. They are never able to make the right decisions because they are pandering to special interests. We own the land and we have the money, so why don’t we just do it! Swanick has spent millions on Niawanda Park, where is he on all this? He’s spending more of our tax dollars getting ‘connected” along with Hoyt, LaFalce, Coppola, McMahon and the Town Board, while the true recreational needs are forgotten about along with our Youth and our businesses.

Two weeks ago Laura McDonnell won the cartoon contest of the week in the Dispatch, it was a drawing about seven kids looking for something to do on the island this summer. The cartoon spoke a thousand words and was just another cry for help from our youth. There is nothing here for them, only so many can play sports, plus kids can’t do that 24 hrs a day, they need a place to go hang out, listen to music, dance, play pool, video games, see a movie, shop for a music CD, and clothes and on and on and on. Why? oh why have our elected officials forgotten about the youth and aren’t out actively perusing businesses to come here? Has anyone noticed the for sale sign at Duce’s Dogs, the empty store fronts at the plaza like the Travel agency, Ames, tcby, Holiday Showcase, the burnt out shell that use to be Doolies, the Book store, Barber shop, Pizza place, Dickies Donuts and on and on and on

All I can say is that before the town criticizes anyone that volunteers their time and effort to work on a project, they should look at themselves and evaluate their own performance as a paid public servant.

 

Rus Thompson