July 6, 2009
City Celebrates Parks & Recreation Month
Programs & Investments Enhance Local Recreational Opportunities
View the City Park Master Plan.
Download a calendar of Sister City events.
Download information about Hudson Park Concert Series.
The City of New Rochelle continues to make strides in our efforts to provide a higher quality of life for residents. Although the weak economy has forced us to scale back or defer several initiatives, we are still successfully drawing upon grant opportunities and in-house resources to achieve progress, particularly when it comes to park and recreational priorities.
July was designated by our City Council as "Parks and Recreation Celebration Month." Beginning with our July 4th fireworks display, sponsored by the Grucci family and local contributors, the weeks ahead will be filled with activities and events for all ages and interests, including the Hudson Park Concert Series on Wednesday nights and the BID Music on Library Green on Thursday Nights, with special music from our Sister City guest musicians from La Rochelle. You can download a calendar of events HERE.
Meanwhile, at City Park, our largest and most heavily-used active recreation center, New Rochelle has just accepted an $8.5 million County legacy grant that will bring our fields into the twenty-first century. The new City Park will feature an improved layout for baseball and softball fields to facilitate simultaneous play and maximize the availability of field time, state-of-the-art turf, improved drainage, a splash pool for younger children, enhanced lighting, and better trails for spectators and for those who just want to take a stroll. The City Park master plan (which you can view HERE) also sets aside a footprint within which a new skating facility could be constructed. While funding is not yet in place for an ice sheet, the park configuration reflects the City's intent to provide the broadest range of recreational opportunities, including hockey and skating. The legacy grant requires the City to assume ownership of and maintenance responsibilities for County roads within our borders, but is still a huge net positive for New Rochelle taxpayers. In addition, the City will be required to facilitate the construction of additional affordable housing, but this is already a local priority to which we are strongly committed.
Sustainability Planning Moves Forward
Public Will Soon Be Invited to Suggest Initiatives
Read the Draft Sustainability Introduction and Goals.
Learn about Sustainability Advisory Board Members.
As you may recall from previous bulletins, the City has launched a sustainability planning effort aimed at releasing a blueprint for environmental, economic, and social action by Earth Day 2010. To further this goal, the City Manager has appointed an exceptional advisory board (see their bios HERE) and convened working groups composed of City staff and experts. Our sustainability planners have produced a preliminary set of goals that will help frame specific policy initiatives, and we intend to solicit public input through meetings and a web-based submission process. You can review the draft introductory statement and goals HERE. We expect to have our first public session in September. More details to come.
Parking Improvements (Here & Coming)
Better Meters at New Roc, Bids Accepted for Library South
Safe, convenient, and attractive public parking is critically important to the health and vitality of our central business district. The City is committed to a multi-year program of parking improvements aimed at making our facilities more user-friendly. Last month, we took two notable steps:
New Roc City: New parking machines have been installed at the New Roc City garage, replacing ten-year-old models that were showing their age in both appearance and reliability. Among other upgrades, the new machines accept credit and debit cards.
Library South: The Library South lot, between Lawton Street and Memorial Highway, is among the most heavily-used and centrally-located in downtown New Rochelle. The Council recently accepted bids for the reconstruction of the lot, with the intent of making it safer and more attractive. This project is paid for by the Parking Enterprise Fund, which derives income from parking meter and permit fees.
Council Approves Bicycle Parking Requirements
Continues Efforts to Make New Rochelle "Bicycle-Friendly"
Read the Journal News article about this new legislation.
At its last meeting, the City Council approved new legislation to create bicycle parking spaces and lockers. The regulations will apply to new multifamily and attached dwellings of ten or more units and to larger commercial structures. Builders will have the option of constructing bicycle facilities on-site or of contributing funds that the City can employ to install new public bicycle racks. Along with the designation of bicycle routes and our recent public art competition for bike rack design, this is another step towards facilitating bicycle use, which advances both recreational and environmental goals.
New BID Initiatives Promote Downtown
City Supports Downtown Showcase & Artists Spaces Expansion
The downtown Business Improvement District (BID) continues its outstanding efforts to strengthen our local economy. During our last meeting, the City Council approved funding to assist with the creation or expansion of two worthwhile initiatives:
Downtown Showcase: In order to promote New Rochelle's home furnishing niche, as well as traditional retail businesses, the BID will create a showcase apartment at Avalon on the Sound East, decorated and furnished using only local businesses. The apartment will be placed on the annual Sound Shore Medical Center house tour, and will serve as a springboard for a broader print and web-based marketing campaign.
Artists Spaces Program Expansion: The Artists Spaces Program has already successfully marketed vacant upper-floor space for artists live-work use. Expansion of the program will facilitate better marketing to help fill a larger group of target properties.
The Palace as it appears today.
The BID also announced that it is teaming with Simone Development Corporation to renovate the former Palace Shoe Store at 514-518 Main Street. The Palace, with its distinctive art deco style, will be the latest addition to the BID's facade improvement program.
Finally, local restaurant owners have joined together to offer outdoor sidewalk dining. Seating areas will be surrounded by attractive enclosures, emblazoned with a logo. Outdoor dining adds to the appeal of New Rochelle's growing and diverse downtown dining opportunities.
Monument Restorations Unveiled
Sited at East & West Gateways to Downtown Area
World War I Memorial.
Soldier's Monument.
Moulton Memorial.
Read the full press release.
View before-and-after shots of the World War I Memorial, the Soldier's Monument, and the Moulton Memorial.
Last week, the City formally unveiled three newly-restored monuments, located at the eastern and western intersections of Main Street and Huguenot Street — the gateways to our downtown. The three monuments are: the World War I Memorial, the Soldier's Monument, and the Moulton Memorial, originally dedicated in 1921, 1895, and 1914 respectively. These and other monuments commemorate the great sacrifices made by generations of New Rochelleans to advance the cause of freedom throughout the world and are also wonderful examples of artistry that lend grace and beauty to their surroundings. Over the course of decades, they had deteriorated considerably. The restoration and preservation work was achieved through a collaboration of local historical experts, City staff, and professional conservators.
Community Mourns Dorothy Allen
Served For Eleven Years as City Clerk
Read my remarks in memory of Dorothy Allen.
The City of New Rochelle suffered a terrible loss on June 3rd with the passing of Dorothy Allen. Dorothy served our community as City Clerk with distinction for eleven years. As those observing our Council proceedings know, she was a familiar and reassuring presence at the Council dais and at our conference table, and she led a team that helped literally thousands of residents with inquiries large and small. Dorothy also contributed to New Rochelle through countless hours of volunteer service to civic organizations and community endeavors.
I was in California at the time of Dorothy's memorial service, but had the privilege of writing one of several eulogies, read on my behalf by Council Member Marianne Sussman. If you are interested, the text of the eulogy is HERE.