BUCKINGHAM
POND PARK RECON

Margaret, Paddy, Mick and me took
a stroll around Buckingham Pond
Park.

Buckingham Pond Conservancy
has signs posted everywhere
announcing their April 21 clean
up. Too many. Should not be
stapled to trees.

The Buckingham Pond Conservancy
has come a long way since it
was founded three years ago.

However, much more will
be required, beyond annual
cleanups, skating parties, ice
cream socials , etc. if the pond
park is to be sustained  and
improved over time.

Go to:
http://www.buckinghampondconservancy.org/


In 1993, I ran for 8th Ward
Alderman. By a slim margin
out of 3,000 votes in the
Democratic Primary, I missed
the mark.

However, I did achieve 2
major objectives:

1. Creation of Buckingham
Pond Park - getting the pond
and shore area rezoned LC
(Land Conservation or park land)

Over the years we worked
with the City to improve the park.

Search this website and you
will find more than 30 posts
regarding the pond park and
needed improvements.

These posts contain many
recommendations, that have
yet to be acted upon.

Hopefully, the Conservancy
will follow through on them.

Most notably:

A. Pathways should be
resurfaced with pea size
bluestone gravel. The flour
bluestone applied by the City
compacts and fails to drain
resulting in slippery paths.


Note the East End Pond path
as an example.

B. Shoreline stabilization is a
priority to address. Slumping of
shoreline areas results in shallow
water which provides an ideal
environments for algae blooms
and invasive species.

Eventually, if left unaddressed
the pond will fill in  and  become
a bog.

Shoreline stabilization is a major
factor in maintaining pond water
quality and wildlife habitat.

Additionally,  in the pond
watershed ,  the city has to
stop dumping excessive amounts
of road salt  on streets and
homeowners have to wean
themselves off lawn chemical
use. Both of these drain into
the pond having detrimental
effects on water quality and
wildlife habitat.

Plant a variety of trees and
shrubs suited for wet areas
to stabilize the shoreline,
.
Red Osier Dogwoods are
good choices along the new
path, southside, between
Euclid and Lenox.

Note the valient little Willow
clinging to a tiny of island
of former shoreline just to
the East of the picnic area
park northside. Restore the
eroded shoreline here, and
that little Willow will grow
to a large magnificent one.


C. A pond park woodland
management plan must be
drawn up and acted upon.

* Cut vines that are strangling
trees

* Remove dead trees and
branches, particularly those
overhanging pathways which
pose an injury/death risk for
passersby, particulary in windy
weather or when limbs are laden
with heavy ice in winter.

Observe the dead tree leaning
above the pathway, at the foot
of Lenox, southside of of park.

Two things to do April 21 -

The vines and dead trees/branches
should be tagged with bright orange
ribbons, now when more visible
before the trees leaf out.

How about decorating the pond
park with some yellow ribbons
to honor our troops? After all
there is still a war on.

They have been forgotten by
most. Bring them home now!
  _______________

Another hazard nearby, is no
guard rail, or some large boulders
to block any out of control
vehicles coming down Lenox
and landing on pedestrians on
the path below.

* clear wooded areas and plant
young replacement trees that will
take over as the current mature
trees age, die and fall down or
are cut down. Plant a diversity
of  native trees suited to the
varied ecological nitches in
the park.

* The woodland mangement
plan should be divided into the
following sectors:  (i) northside
from Milner Ave path to East
End, (ii) southside from Lenox
to Milner Ave path and
(iii)  West side - all West of
Milner Ave path and including
the smaller holding pond.

The holding pond should be
fenced and posted to reduce
the danger of drownings there.

2. The second achievement
of my 1993 campaign was
blocking Mayor Whalen's
proposal to build luxury
housing on the Albany Muni
golf course.

I led the effort to rezone
the entire course LC (Land
Conservation-parkland)
preserving the magnificent
view of the the Catskill Three
Sisters peaks which can be
seen beyond the present
driving range, and which
resulted in creation of the
Hartman Road Community
garden site.

Beware, there are those
who want to privatize
the golf course to obtain
revenue to finance social
programs in the city.

I oppose any attempt to
privatize The Capital Hills
golf course, and urge you
to do the same.

Candidates for city offices
in the 2013 should pledge
to do the same.

That's all for now.

                       Joe Sullivan

APRIL FOOLS

April 1 is here. We now turn our
attention to local political elections.

Will the people continue to 
nominate, elect and re-elect those
who seek to rule, rather than
represent us?

Those who fail to honor their oaths
of office to uphold the Constitution?

Will blind partyline voting prevail
or will the people of Albany wise
up, rise up and save their city and
themselves?

Read:
http://blog.timesunion.com/localpolitics/14326/your-2013-albany-common-council-candidates/

                                Joe Sullivan

FAREWELL WINTER

Winter is transitioning into Spring
here in Albany, NY. Actually, the
usual transition is from Winter to
Summer.

The past Winter was a good one.
Snowfall was a bit below normal
with frequent, light snowfalls that
did not linger long, except for a
few weeks in January-February.

Paddy and Mick were out at Albany
Muni most every day from January
through March.

Temperatures were below freezing
much of the time, keeping the ticks
at bay.

Several good snowfalls turned Albany
Muni into a Winter wonderland.

We avoided walking the local streets
because of excessive road salt on the
streets, walks and in the air.

It will take heavy Spring rains to
wash away the heavy road salt
residues that remain on the streets
and that linger in the air.

If the rains do not come, the salt
residues will linger on the streets
and in the air, well into Summer.

Should drought follow Winter this
year, as it will, in much of the land
to the West of us, we may experience
water shortages.

Buckingham Pond  will experience
lower water levels with the drainage
of excessive road salt, and lawn
chemicals having a greater negative
impact of pond water quality.

With a poor economy and even
more dire economic forecasts, one
would think that less road salt
would be dumped on streets, walks
and parking lots; and that lawn
chemical applications would also
be greatly reduced or abandoned
altogether. So much for frugality!

Where are all the environmentalists
and students who rant about climate
change, greenhouse gases and oppose
fracking for natural gas?  Why are
they oblivious to the negative impacts
on our environment and health resulting
from  the seasonal rituals of dumping
excessive amount of road salt and lawn
chemicals onto the land and into the
water and air?

Why are local hospitals and health care
providers silent on these issues?

The Winter past was, should be, a time
to slow down,  a peaceful time for quiet
reflection.


                                  Joe Sullivan