|
EDITORIAL Pave this!Posted 3/14/13
You don’t have to travel far from the heart of Riverdale to be surrounded by bucolic — even wild — beauty. As Riverdalians, we take our access to nature very seriously. We always have. We waged a campaign that kept us off the grid that defines so much of New York City. Our 197a plan, approved in 2003, sought to limit the density of development from the Jerome Park Reservoir to the Hudson shore and to preserve the natural beauty of the community’s Special Natural Area District. When a development endangers a lake, we speak up. When a building threatens to block a view of the Palisades across a glistening Hudson River, we balk. But perhaps we don’t do as much as we can when it comes to making our assets accessible. Take the trail that runs along Palisade Avenue, protected from the road by a heavy railing on its easterly edge, with views of the Hudson and the lushness of Riverdale Park on the west. This weekend, as the sun warmed the road, runners and walkers made their way along its route, but they disdained the path, choosing instead to take their chances among the cars on the street. The path itself is broken, with loose pieces on the trail, uneven ground beneath walkers’ feet, an accident waiting to happen. Years ago Councilman Oliver Koppell battled mightily to have the trail restored and to prevent the Department of Transportation from replacing its handsome wooden barriers with highway steel. But nowadays, the Palisade Avenue walkway seems to have taken a back seat to bigger battles. We have heard plenty about the effort by Save the Putnam Trail to prevent the imminent paving of that historic path in Van Cortlandt Park. An excursion railway once chugged its way to Putnam County through the park and beyond. Hikers have long enjoyed the feel of its old cinders and rotting ties under their feet. Now a federally funded effort is scheduled to connect the path later this year with the South County Trailway in Westchester. Keywordspalisade avenue, parks department, paving, trail, riverdale park, putnam trail, save the putnam trail, hebrew home, nature
5 comments on this story
|
Add your comment
|
|
|
100% agreed. Why is there a fence at all? And why does it always seem to be chained shut if you go thru the Seton Park woods down to the entrance on Palisade Ave? Open the park, make a new trail. I also support paving the putnam trail. The people who say don't pave are in la-la land. This was once a bustling railroad right of way. Hardly a bucolic sylvan picture of unspoiled nature. Plus, the trees and weeds that run along are all invasive species. Thankg god for the removal of them from the ecosystem they are damaging. Tuesday, March 19|Report this
Yes, please take the $2.41 million being used to pave over a historic nature trail in the VCP and pave the western border of the neighborhood to gain access to the waterfront. There is no point in destroying the Putnam trail, which will only drive out more wildlife, that'll never return, in order to create a bicycle raceway that puts everyone physical safety in jeopardy. Tax dollars should be better spent than this, when there's such strong opposition to how they're getting allocated. Friday, March 22|Report this
joaves, your scientific knowledge is seriously lacking, and you shouldn't make such ignorant posts. The wildlife will never return? Preposterous!
first off, assuming that any wildlife is in fact displaced, which is seriously questionable given the fact that we're dealing mainly with birds (who seem to have no problems making the city their), and squirrels (who equally can thrive in the densest urban environments), why wouldn't they come back once its paved? I don't think all the wildlife I see on the paved Westchester portions got the letter that said they won't return.
If you're against paving, fine. that's your right. But at least make sound arguments to defend your position. And I don't want to hear about all the trees either. The put is overrum with weedy, invasive species that do nothing to help the wildlife. They will be replaced with native species, which will provide all the habitat wildlife need.
I'm sorry, but the anti pavers are simply wrong. I have yet to see one argument that makes any scientific or historical sense. This was, after all, a former railway line. Hardly a bucolic pasture of everlasting peace and tranquility. Sunday, March 24|Report this
Sign Petition to Connect the Putnam Trail here: http://t.co/LnZ8CXjHvm Saturday, April 27|Report this
Any public works project should be based on what the community wants. And as is clearly shown by the comments on the diverse 2000+ person Save the Putnam Trail petition, http://www.savetheputnamtrail.com/petition/ the community does NOT want the Putnam Nature Trail to be paved. It is obvious that a few cyclists in the paving crowd are vocal but they are clearly in the minority. 90% of people who use the Putnam Nature Trail arent runners or cyclists. This trail is about those 90% and this broad representation of the community clearly is against paving the Putnam Nature Trail. Cyclists want the trail paved, and EVERYONE else does not. Tuesday, May 7|Report this