Proposed 10-year plan roadmap for park and recreation improvements

The direction of Rotterdam’s parks and recreation programs is starting to solidify with a proposed plan aiming to focus on the town’s natural attractions.

The Parks and Recreation Commission of Rotterdam recently submitted its proposed plan, dubbed “Vision 2020,” to the Town Board for review. Under the 10-year plan, measures to improve and revitalize the town’s parks and recreation programs would undergo incremental improvements to help realize the goal. The town board will vote on the plan during an upcoming session, but nothing will be finalized or any sort of funding approved, because the board would approve each specific objective before implementation.

“[The plan] is a synopsis of reachable goals and long term goals,” said Councilman Matthew Martin. “Some of the ideas are grand and big, but that is what the purpose of the plan is all about. The plan itself is pretty comprehensive and it is pretty detailed.”

The commission was formed in August 2009 under the previous board and after completing a draft of the plan this April there were five public input sessions held to receive input on the proposal. Based on public input changes were made to the final plan, said Ronald Severson, chairman for the Commission.

One change to the plan from public input sessions is the addition of a proposed dog park in the town, said Severson.

“Some people are actually willing to donate time and money to seeing this built,” said Severson about the dog park. “We might be able to build the dog park without costing the town any money from the general funding itself.”

There are three main goals to the plan, which detail what infrastructure changes should be made, what programs and policies should be implemented and how the town will pay for the plan.

The first goal is to create a general use, multi use and special use facilities for the town. Also, creating neighborhood parks, conservation areas and multi-use trails is part of the goal. Martin said surrounding municipalities have different have different categories of parks, which he would like to see implemented in the town.

Conceptual planning of the “Bicentennial Park” show a large amount of land acquisition, including the 79-acre bonded concrete site between Route 5 and the New York State Thruway. Also, the present 3-acre Woestina Park would be expanded up to 67 acres.

“We were hoping to build a park in Rotterdam Junction,” said Supervisor Frank Del Gallo. “Getting people to go along with it is another thing.”

Developing a general use park in Rotterdam Junction and establishing a dog park in one of the existing parks are the first two plans of action, said Severson. Del Gallo said there are going to be meetings soon on how to accomplish the difference aspects of the plan.

The second goal would ensure effective parks and recreation programs can be enjoyed by all town residents, which would fall under the creation of a new Parks, Recreation, and Community Programs Department.

Severson said existing parks could be used for homes to town leagues and could be used more wisely by developing multi-use fields including a baseball diamond, football field and soccer field all in one.

“Some of our leagues don’t have permanent homes,” said Severson. “We don’t want to overburden taxpayers, on the other hand we have to find a home for these different leagues.”

Although, Severson said the plan doesn’t just focus on sports leagues, but aims to make parks more useful for all residents.

“Right now most of our parks are primarily used by the various leagues,” said Severson. “Those are important programs, but pretty much every one of our parks … they are pretty much dedicated to sports leagues for young people. We want a park system and recreation system that is available to people of all ages.”

How the town is going to pay for all these improvements will be the struggle board members are faced to solve.

“Funding is always an issue especially for parks and recreations,” said Martin.

Severson said developing the plan would help the town apply for state and federal grants funding, which would be hard to receive without a finalized plan in writing.

“We are looking at how can we go about doing as many improvements with our parks without costing the taxpayers any money,” said Severson.

Thanks to the Spotlight for running this good article.

The article failed to mention that the Bicentennial Park proposal .. would allow tourists traveling along
the Erie Canalway (State Canal) to dock at Rotterdam Junction and then walk or ride bikes to the
Mabee Farm, the Franchere History Center, the Native American center,  other parts of the same park or
to conservation areas like the Moccasinkill and Plotterkill ----- AND   most importantly ... to patronize the
small shops and eateries that are envisioned for Rotterdam Junction.

To bad it snows in the Jct

maybe we should open the bike ways to atvs and snowmobiles for those envisioned shops to increase foot traffic in the slooooooow months?

Quoted from TippyCanoe

To bad it snows in the Jct

maybe we should open the bike ways to atvs and snowmobiles for those envisioned shops to increase foot traffic in the slooooooow months?

That is something worth looking into.

Hopefully, the town board will take up the proposed  VISION 2020 Town Parks Plan at the January 1 town
board meeting.   I hope it will receive unanimous approval.

do they even have an agenda yet???? the 1st is .....this Saturday.

Quoted from TippyCanoe

do they even have an agenda yet???? the 1st is .....this Saturday.

Your guess is as good as mine.

To bad we dont know how to do that with the ENTIRE town for business and the patina of each little squire.....

Parks and Recreation Commission resolution to set # of commission members and the term of office
of its commission members was passed.   The town board also officially appointed the 9 members.

Now it is time to go get back to work and get the Vision 2020 Town Parks Plan approved and implemented.

great to hear...

and just what was with the Parks and Recreation Commission's recomendations submitted by Mr Martin being edited by someone in town hall????

and the hope was that the resolution would be burried in the consent item with the changed members

this action was just wrong

i would hope that the party would pressure members who exercise in this behavior and put a stop to it

this behavior belongs in a counrty club   - oh thats right no one in rotterdam can afford to join a "real" one

Quoted from TippyCanoe

and just what was with the Parks and Recreation Commission's recomendations submitted by Mr Martin being edited by someone in town hall????

and the hope was that the resolution would be burried in the consent item with the changed members

this action was just wrong

i would hope that the party would pressure members who exercise in this behavior and put a stop to it

this behavior belongs in a counrty club   - oh thats right no one in rotterdam can afford to join a "real" one

The Parks and Recreation Commission submitted the proposed resolution to Mr. Martin  who submitted it
to the rest of the Town Board for inclusion on the January 1 agenda.    Someone - I was never told who -
decided to edit out one of the proposed appointees and replace it with another person.     This unilateral
editing was done without the knowledge of at least 3 of the 5 members of the board.  
Furthermore, no effort was made to contact either myself or any other member of the commission about the
change.    If an attempt had been made,  the issue could have been VERY EASILY resolved.   Unfortunately,
no effort was made to contact me.   I am an eminently reasonable and flexible person.

Regardless -- the issue is settled and done with.

the resolution may be done but the overall problem needs to be corrected and the Parks and Recreation Commission as well as others in town hall should take note

the commission needs to stand its ground and not cut deals

please think long term, watch out for fads, and spend wisely

sometimes grass,and  trees can go a long way

and please report when residents complain that the police dept wont checkout unwanted activity in a park