BUCKINGHAM POND PARK
REPORT NOVEMBER 27, 2009

To begin: there is a high wind warning
posted four our area-
http://weather.aol.com/severe-weather-alerts/ny/nyc001/nyz052

So?

There are a number of dead, or
decaying trees and tree limbs
overhanging the paths posing a
hazard to walkers, their pets
and joggers.

Most notably, the South side of
the pond park:
1. a large dead tree over the path
at the foot of Lenox,

2. another dead tree leaning
toward the
footpath at the foot of Lenox,

3. several overhanging the
wooded footpath
from Lenox to Holmes Dale
in particular one at the Holmes
Dale entrance to the footpath,

4. several overhanding, or liable
to fall across the footpath from
Holmes Dale to Milner Ave.

This is not a new condition.
Scroll back to earlier
park reports on this site, and you
will read numerous posts calling
attention to this.
Also, complete agendas of what
improvements
and remedial actions are
needed in Buckingham Pond Park.

Mick, Paddy and me took a traverse
around the pond park, today, and
observed the above conditions , as
well as others ,that need attention.

1. The dangerous, dead trees and
limbs, noted above need immediate
attention by the City of Albany.

2. So do the footpaths, which
become slippery when wet, posing
fall hazards to those who use
the paths.

This, too, is a job for the City of
Albany.
Crushed coarse, bluestone needs
to be trucked in and
spread over the footpaths.
Particularly slippery
sections are found at the pond
East end, the pond, South side
and pond North side.

This problem as been
posted, again and again
on this site this year and last.
In response, the
City did attempt to rectify the
slip hazard but
spread the wrong material -
powdered gravel
which only worsened the hazard.

3. The wooded areas of the
pond park particularly the South
and West sections, need to have
active management which
promotes the long term health
of those wooded areas.

a) cut, remove vines strangling trees

b) remove dead trees and limbs that
pose a hazard

c) cut the brush around young trees
so that they may mature - particularly
the young Hemlocks and other conifers
pond park South side between Colonial
and Milner.

4. Repositioning the drain pipe that runs
into the small holding pond at the Milner
Ave footbridge.
Observe end of the drain pipe is elevated
upward so that it is useless, except for
collecting rainfall.

5. The childrens play area, North side
protection
of a metal guard rail or row of large
rocks to prevent out of control, speeding
vehicles on Berkshire from
crashing into the play area.

6. The pond shoreline needs to be
stabilized through a program of
planting trees and bushes
that thrive in wet conditions, while
stabilizing the banks. These include
Willows, Red Osier Dogwoods, and
others.
See past pond park posts this site
for the last several years.

7. The park picnic tables need to be
properly preserved and maintained.

The City of Albany has the ability
and obligation to make the above
improvements to the pond park.

Residents of this neighborhood pay
higher property taxes than many
Downtown neighborhoods, while
we receive less than our fair share of
police presence to deter crime control
speeding traffic, etc.
Buckingham Pond Park receives
much less attention
than Washington and Lincoln Parks.

As long as residents do not press the
city for more
police presence and more improvements
to Buckingham Pond Park- expect little
or no change.

Call Mayor Jennings on his weekly
Friday Radio show
9-10 am, WDGJ 1300 AM -
call in line # 476 1300.
That will get results you need regarding
the above
and any other neighborhood concerns
you may have.

Now, with hard times here, citizens
have to be expected to pitch in and help.

All neighborhood residents have been
drafted into
our neighborhood watch, insructed
to call the APD,
and/or NYS Anti Terror Hotline, when
they spot
suspicious individuals, groups and
behaviors. See earlier posts for those
telephone numbers.

Residents around with a view of the
pond
particularly the parking lot at the foot
of Colonial pond North side, have the
responsibility of calling
the APD when they see people
dumping household and other trash
in park barrels ,see people feeding the
ducks/geese ,vandalizing the park
littering or engaging in drug trades

The newly formed
Buckingham Pond Conservancy
which purports to be "working for
the future of a small pond
and a few acres of land" and lists a
steering committee of a dozen
neighborhood residents
has to get to work!

Here are some tasks to work on:

1. Rake the leaves off the footpaths,
pond South side Lenox to Milner.
Leaves are slippery and
harbor ticks which pose a health
hazard to people and pets.

2. Rake the leaves off the grassy
section at Milner Ave, South side.
The leaves will only kill the grass.
They also harbor ticks.

3. Place stakes with bright
orange ribbon marking
slippery spots on footpaths that
require coarse ,crushed bluestone
application by the City.

4. Place bright orange ribbons
on trees and limbs that pose
hazards over footpaths.

5. Place bright orange ribbons
on vines that are
strangling trees, preventing
them from maturing
or killing them.

6. Find the use upended
drain pipe and mark it
with a stake and orange ribbon.

7. Read and download, all the
prior posts on this
site for the past several years
which identify pond park problems
and present detailed needed actions.


There is no need for the
Conservancy to reinvent
the wheel - that is, if participants
are really sincere in their stated
objective.
Just get to work and follow through
on what has already been presented
on this site.


Joe Sullivan