>It is the year 2009 and advanced technology and scientific improvements allow us MANY options for maintaining a clean pond-like pool for swimmers.
The problem seems to be that only a few unpublicized attempts have been made over the years to make the necessary water upgrades to the pond. During that period, most of the Summer badge users have simply left for “cleaner,” clearer waters, as geese and ducks overran the pool.
I do not blame them. I left too.
Now, Graydon is a financial drain on the Village because not enough badges are sold to offset its maintenance, nor to provide for the major upgrades that must happen to win even some of those members back and, hopefully, attract new ones.
But, do we really need to throw the baby out with the bathwater? Let’s admit it: Graydon is beautiful and far better to look at year round than a cement bottomed pool.
Could we, perhaps, identify ways to improve the water quality, improve the facility and remove the impediments to greater public use that currently exist? I think we can and we can do so without enormous financial debt and public expenditures.
First, let’s consider a real CEO — to be paid, or one who is voluntary to run the facility as a public/private partnership.
Second, let this person organize a team to outline the community’s goals for Graydon; review its public image within the community; explain its legal status according to state and federal mandates; and provide a report which can guide discussion and the list of initial undertakings (short and long term) to achieve those goals.
Third, communicate with all Ridgewood residents. Graydon is a community treasure. We all have a stake in it.
There never should have been an us versus them scenario created to fix Graydon. This will not serve the community nor the project well. It hasn’t so far. The Village Council needs to take some responsibility for allowing this to happen. It has weakened the process, has sidelined too many citizens who naturally feel disenfranchised, and has curtailed the likelihood of a positive outcome by being perfunctory in its goals and diffuse with regard to its outcome.
Wholesale, expensive re-designs are ahead of the public sentiment right now. Isn’t this obvious to all? So, let us do what is necessary, politically feasible and financially sound. Let’s clean up the water beyond the allowable “units per part.” This is necessary to overcome the years of bad publicity, lax effort, and rampant geese and duck droppings that drove so many away.
This should not be the “end” of Graydon as a Village icon, but should be the beginning of a full community effort to make Graydon viable and enjoyable for years to come.
Frances Edwards
