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Today's Poll: Which facilities should the city sell?

By Howard B. Owens
Bryant Tyson

You can put the For Sale sign up for the Ice Arena and the Stadium. After just being reminded how much I pay in tax for it put a sign in front of the Library also.

Nov 9, 2010, 10:15am Permalink
Mark Potwora

You got that right Bryant...I pay a couple hundred a year also for the Library i don't use...I don't use the ice arena..and i don't go to Dwyer Stadium...

Nov 9, 2010, 2:12pm Permalink
jason reese

Your own fault. Move to Rochester or Buffalo, Ny. Batavia, Ny has Good education, low Crime Rate. The City of Batavia,Ny has an bright and upbeat future, with its Younger Generation.

Nov 9, 2010, 3:30pm Permalink
jason reese

Selling the parks? This community needs to get rid of all these senior centers and add some life to this property called Batavia, ny. While your at it get rid of ARC, DSS, and Social Security. Because that's what ruining this city today.

Nov 9, 2010, 3:37pm Permalink
Frank Cook

You also don't use a lot of the roads and highways, we should stop having to pay for those too.

Really? Get rid of the library? Just because you choose to not educate yourself at a public library doesn't mean that it's not a necessary facility for others. The way out of poverty in America is education. Good for you if you can afford to buy books, but I know I sure couldn't when I was younger. Because of the Batavia Public Library (as well as the school libraries) I am currently attending one of the nation's top private schools, something that would not have been possible if I hadn't had free access to suitable books.

I believe the right to information is a fundamental human right, and one that the library helps fulfill.

Nov 9, 2010, 3:57pm Permalink
George Richardson

Austin Park really should be cleared for a low income housing project, like they had in New Orleans by the graveyard near Canal Street. Maybe Bat"shitcrazy"avia could donate the property to a non profit organization, since it's not on the tax rolls anyway.
Put a little love in your heart.

Nov 9, 2010, 5:05pm Permalink
Paul Weiss

Austin Park is a dedicated park. If you take one square inch out of the park for non park use, the entire park reverts to the Bisbane estate. Back in the 1950s the parking lot was built behind the City Hall. It was taken away from Austin Park. As a kid, I can remember the park going all the way to City Hall. That parking lot was built on Austin Park. The city got away with it by claiming that the parking lot was for Austin Park. I use to question how they could reserve parking spaces for city employees or the police department in that lot if it was to be used for Austin Park. At one time they talked about using some of the parking lot for the county jail. The late County Legislator Florence Gioia brought the park issue to the County and City. They did not take an inch of the parking lot for the county jail.(Thank you Florence.) I use to say that I was brought up in Austin Park. There are probably other people who can remember living in Austin Park in the summer. (Remember the parks parade?) I dont live in Batavia anymore but I would hate to see Austin Park taken for any other reason than a park.

A Person From The Past
Paul J. Weiss

PS Congressman Conable had nothing to do with the Ice Arena. Thats a whole other story.

PPS Whatever happend to the statute back in the rocks in Austin Park???

Nov 9, 2010, 6:22pm Permalink
RICHARD L. HALE

Upbeat future....younger generation....I read about the younger generation in the Police Blotter all the time. Scroll back a couple of articles. Easy on the old people pal, Batavia probably wouldn't be here without us.

Nov 9, 2010, 11:06pm Permalink
Bea McManis

When I was a very young teen and my sister was just a toddler, I would take her to Austin Park in her stroller.
By the time I got to the park, she would be sound asleep and I could sit by the little pool next to the statue and read until she woke up.
For me, it was an oasis. Years later, when visiting the park with my grandchildren, I discovered that the statue was gone.
It is comforting to know that the museum in Rochester recognized the value of the statue and has it displayed well (when it isn't on loan).
Truly a loss for the City of Batavia, but we are know that poor judgement, on the part of the city, is not a new trait.

Nov 10, 2010, 1:03pm Permalink
Bea McManis

Dan,
That may be true, but I find it difficult to believe that there wasn't SOMEONE in power in the City of Batavia who didn't recognized the historic value of the statue and who would work to place it in a place of honor for everyone to continue to enjoy.
How many cities, the size of Batavia, can boast of having a piece of art of this quality? Thank goodness it was saved.
The statue is the creation of an internationally renowned artist, Bessie Potter Vonnoh http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessie_Potter_Vonnoh. It was given to the City in 1931 for placement in Austin Park by Frances Washburn, wife of the County Judge, Edward Washburn. It was intended to be part of a bird sanctuary in the Park.
An identical figure is part of a fountain group in Central Park in New York City.

The City had great plans for Austin Park. A design developed by landscape architect Harold Olmsted http://preserve.bfn.org/bam/kowsky/camp/olm/index.html

In 1914 Olmsted designed a ravine garden in Leroy for the Le Furgy family. Olmsted wrote about this landscape design stating that it was "a complete little dell of rocks, waterfalls and planting pockets, all without concrete and in layer after layer of flat stones from the lower Oatka (creek)" (Oprea 1997) .This design included an underground water pipe to simulate a natural source.
In 1923 Olmsted designed a house and gardens for his friend Schuyler Carl Wells at 118 East Main Street, Leroy. On the south side of the stuccoed mansion Olmsted laid out lawns and a fountain pool laid up with flat rocks from Oatka Creek.
Olmsted also designed gardens for the Woodward family of Leroy.

Beth, you gave the exact quote I planned on using. Thank you.

Nov 10, 2010, 4:17pm Permalink

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