David Wold: Few Residents Believe New Skating Rink is a Priority

 

Screenshot (jlgarchitects.com)

Submitted by David C. Wold, Greenwich Resident and Veteran


Now that the ‘flip-flop’ plan from SLAM has passed through the Rink User Committee and the date has been set for an MI application and hearing, I like to share with you the Town Hall Community Survey conducted in 2023.

 

Nearly three times the number of Greenwich residents place, as one of their main priorities, on parks and open space more than they care about the ‘skating rink.’ 


2023 Town of Greenwich Survey

According to the survey, 1.7% care about the rink, which is about 1,100 people out of our total population. That does make one wonder, as Sports Facilities survey done about one year earlier, had double that number for a new rink. Such a flip-flop would take away nearly 50% of the parking for this 13.4 acres as DPW has reduced the actual parking in the park by nearly 30% with no intention of utilizing the parking lot by WMS.

 

The parking lot at WMS would be (with proper access) a shorter distance from the parking to the bleachers of the baseball field than the parking facing Westchester to the bleachers. However, that does not seem to be a factor being considered by DPW after 7 years of study.

It is, after all, an MI (Municipal Improvement) that only has Rink User Committee support.

SLAM Read

Skating Rink Replacement Project Read

Tuesday, August 6, 2024
TENTATIVE AGENDA REGULAR MEETING 4:00 PM

DECISION ITEMS BY AUGUST 26TH

 

4. Town of Greenwich - Department of Public Works; application PLPZ2024 00246, for a Municipal Improvement, to replace the Dorothy Hamill Rink with the Eugene Morlot Memorial Park, with a new 40,671 sq. ft. rink facility to be located to the north of the current rink building, relocation and replacement of the current baseball field, improved vehicular circulation, a walking path for passive recreation through the park, additional signage to identify the Byram Veterans Memorial Tree Grove, and the location of the Thomas Lyons House, and related site work, the result of which would exceed 150,000 cubic feet in building volume, for the properties of 11.53 and 1.79 acres, located at 0 Western Junior Highway and 1 Sue Mertz Way, in the R-6 Zone. (Staff: PL) (Must decide by 8/26/2024) (Maximum extension to decide available to 11/24/2024) PUBLIC HEARING (To commence after the above items are heard)

 

Public Hearing (to commence after the above are heard)

Must open by 08-15-2024 and maximum extensions available to 10-19-2024.

5. Town of Greenwich - Department of Public Works; application PLPZ2024 00247, for a Preliminary Site Plan and Special Permit, to replace the Dorothy Hamill Rink with the Eugene Morlot Memorial Park, with a new 40,671 sq. ft. rink facility to be located to the north of the current rink building, relocation and replacement of the current baseball field, improved vehicular circulation, a walking path for passive recreation through the park, additional signage to identify the Byram Veterans Memorial Tree Grove, and the location of the Thomas Lyons House, and related site work, the result of which would exceed 150,000 cubic feet in building volume, for the properties of 11.53 and 1.79 acres, located at 0 Western Junior Highway and 1 Sue Mertz Way, in the R-6 Zone. (Staff: PL) (Must open by 8/15/2024) (Maximum extension to open available to 10/19/2024)

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