FASNY: Tammany Tom Answers the Million Dollar Question ...NOT

October 4, 2017

Dear Mayor,

At the recent League of Womens Debate you were asked the question, "What benefits does FASNY bring to the City of White Plains?” You could only mention two benefits even though there was plenty of time to mention more:

1. "Those kids that walk down Bryant Ave. They can now come off Bryant Ave and walk on a path that connects to a straight intersection with the High School and a safe crossing. They will benefit.”

Four key points you are missing: First, coming from Mamaroneck Avenue, you have to walk three quarters of the way up Bryant Avenue to the High School before you reach this “path”.

Second, what is missing from the south side of Bryant Avenue at this location? A SIDEWALK! So where do they cross to get to this beneficial path ? The kids who are suppose to be benefiting from this “path” walk to school on the sidewalk. They are now forced to cross this most dangerous street, in the middle of the block, at an area where there is also a significantly reduced sight line.

Third, this path that supposedly makes this tremendous project so beneficial to the kids walking to the High School, is actually a longer distance for them to walk then simply continuing up Bryant Avenue to the High School, depending on where they want to enter the High School. Kids, just like adults, are not going to walk a longer distance just to get to this path. Most of these kids already have quite a distance to walk to get to school. They are not going to walk a longer distance to get there.

Fourth, This path, starts off of Bryant Avenue. ¾ of the way from Mamaroneck Avenue and continues on FASNY property until it reaches the “North Street Access Road” (I thought they scraped the North Street access??) and curves around until it reaches North Street. So these kids have already walked the majority of Bryant Ave before they even reach the path and, if they traveled on Bryant using the sidewalk, which I see them doing every morning, they will be forced at some point to cross in the middle of the street to even reach this path. Are we supposed to believe that this insignificant path is what makes this tremendous project important enough to trash an entire neighborhood?

2. " I think the people in that neighborhood are going to be able to use the bike paths and the walking paths 365 days/year of the park, just like a city park. They are going to benefit."

First, this “park” is NOT a park, it is “conservancy.” In fact, no where in the Declaration of Covenants, Restrictions and Easements does FASNY refer to it as a park, but it is referred to as a Conservancy Area at least 100 times. Big difference and there is absolutely no comparison. Can you walk your dog in a Conservancy? Can you play ball in a Conservancy? Any activity that may occur must be approved by FASNY and at the sole discretion of FASNY. Is that how our City Parks work right now? FASNY gets to exclude whomever they would like to exclude, at their sole discretion. FASNY gets to shut down the Conservancy to outsiders (yes, residents of this City are considered outsiders) whenever they want to, at their sole discretion.

Second, What bicycle path/pedestrian path are you talking about? They removed all paths from parcel C. There exits one path on parcel B that cuts through and connects Robinhood that is so short the length is not even recorded. A short, straight line. Perhaps you are talking about the one that is going to bring all of the children safely to school? The .07 acre long path???? Hardly a work out.

Third, is a City Park limited to who can enter? Do we segregate? Over and over again the Declaration separates what FASNY can do from what the residents of the City can do. FASNY pretty much gets to do what they want, when they want, at their sole discretion. In fact, they can remove any Conservancy Area in its “reasonable Discretion” when they deem it appropriate. Is this how our City Parks work?

I continue to ask myself, now more then ever, who's kidding whom. If we are looking for FASNY to fix the problem of getting our children safely to school then we have already lost. I asked those council members who have seen through this nonsense from the beginning, continue to support the neighborhood, our health, safety and welfare as well as those of the children who walk to the High School everyday.

Ellen Lee

White Plains