As Trustee Torino attempted to explain (to the standing-room only crowd at the Tuesday, March 24 CPOA meeting in the Senior Recreation Center) that the allocation of funds for the playground only means that the funds are available for that purpose, but does not mean that the money has to be spent that way. Some residents loudly commented over the trustee's comments that they felt that the playground issue was signed and sealed, much to their dismay. A meeting about a play area, the now infamous tot lot that was proposed for the corner of Sixth Street and Hilton Avenue, erupted into a heated dialogue about feelings of betrayal, NIMBY (not in my back yard) attitudes, and emotional pleas from mothers looking to create a play space for the children of the Central section.

Residents from the Sixth Street area of Central turned out in large numbers with a petition signed by 74 residents of Central opposing the location of the park near their homes. Residents from Second Street who oppose new construction of a bathroom and the installation of a fence at either Sixth or Second Street, were represented by fewer numbers. This was largely due to a letter drafted by CPOA Secretary Leslie Guerci which had stated that the site on Second Street had been abandoned, so while they had signed petitions helping their neighbors on Sixth Street fight the site there, they did not realize that their own neighborhood site was still an option under consideration by the CPOA.

Residents of the co-ops by the current Second Street play area stated that there were safety concerns with both the Sixth Street site, because of its proximity to the railroad and the traffic at that intersection, and the Second Street site. When pressed to explain what the concerns were at the Second Street site since some felt there was less traffic on Second Street and there is no railroad stop there, some residents began to explain that the park is "used heavily by people from Hempstead," which met with accusations of racism directing the protests of the park at Second, rather than legitimate safety concerns. One co-op resident stated that he did not feel that his taxpaying dollars should support a playground that would be used by children from the neighboring Village of Hempstead, which was met with the loudly voiced comment, "Sure it's not a racial issue, how would you know them from Garden City kids using the slide if they weren't black?"

Residents stated that they were opposed to the building of a bathroom at either site because they felt it would attract "vagrants" and other "problems" and would pose a safety threat to any of the children that might use the facility. CPOA President Barbara Miller asked if an attendant would be stationed at the park's bathroom and Trustee Torino explained that there was no allocation of funds in the proposed budget to finance the salary of a bathroom attendant. The other tremendously sore subject was the proposed installation of a fence to enclose the play area. Residents screamed over and over again throughout the meeting "No Fence!" as CPOA Director Kathy DiMatteo attempted to explain that when the improvements to the park were discussed with the Recreation Department and Village, the CPOA was told that a fence was necessary to ensure the safety of young children playing at the site who might be inclined to run into the street after a stray ball or other toy. When they were faced with what was presented as a mandatory fence, the CPOA attempted to find a design for the the most aesthetically pleasing fence available, according to the directors.

Trustee Torino passed along a photo of the Estate-style fence at the Commuity Church in the Village to illustrate the type of fence that was proposed. One woman in the front of the room asked, "Aren't Estate fences the ones with the spikes?" as another responded in the affirmative while others shouted that they could see there were no spikes in the photo and they were just trying to be difficult. One mother attempted to comment that as a parent of a small child, she would feel more secure with a fence around the park because children have a tendency to run, but it soon became impossible to hear her over the shouting of other residents who were yelling such things as, "I raised five children in this Village and my neighbor had eleven children and we never needed a tot lot and that park has never had a fence and it doesn't need one now!"

CPOA Director Phyllis Calvano, a self-described six year veteran of the battle for an improved play area for Central, who when on the Recreation Commission pushed for the Sear Brown report and worked with Trustee Judi Asselta to continually ask the trustees for funds allocated for a new play area, stated, "all our parks are fenced and are much more heavily shrubbed than this one was going to be." Notably angry, she stated, "I'm going to go off the board with the same delapidated equipment we've got there now." She also stated that she has spoken to the Garden City Police Department over the years and it is her understanding that they would be able to go into the park and remove those using the park after dark.

Leslie Guerci asked the residents present to raise their hands if they were opposed to the Sixth and Hilton site. Almost every hand in the room was raised. She then asked them if those who supported and/or were unopposed to a site at Second and Hilton would raise their hands. The majority of people present raised their hands, an action which was met with an emotional response from some Second Street residents. The Second Street residents stated that they had supported the Sixth Street people in their fight and wanted the same support and had they known the meeting was going to "turn this way" they would have contacted more of their neighbors to attend. Feeling unrepresented at the meeting, they argued that the impromptu vote was inappropriate and did not accuartely represent the Central section as a whole.

The CPOA board began to draft a motion to support the replacement of existing equipment at the Second and Hilton site with the equipment that was already ordered and is now in storage waiting for a resolution to this matter. They also began to state that they would request the installation of Estate-style fencing and not a chainlink fence, as is located at other Village park sites. The CPOA began to argue that "since the Village Board was willing to support/finance Estate-style fencing at Sixth and Hilton, we request that they do the same for Second and Hilton." Many residents insisted that the CPOA first contact Village Administration to determine whether or not there is actually a municpal zoning code or other law that would require the fence and if there is not, then have the equipment put in without the fence. As one woman said, "I don't want to have to look out of my window and see a fence there. Find out if you really have to have it there."

Kevin Curtain stated that he felt that the CPOA should push for a multi-age playground to be built at St. Paul's. As CPOA Director Lamberti noted, the residents who live near St. Paul's weren't at this meeting and if there was controversy about a site near people's homes at one location, there certainly would be controversy over a playground at St. Paul's also. Second Street area resident Simpson stated that there was little support for a playground at Second Street, which had been exaggerated over the years by the loud demands of a small group of citizens. He argued that every time the suggestion for a fence at that location has been made countless signatures were obtained on petitions. The general feeling was that the majority of residents in Central would not like to have a playground located near their home. A few mothers attempted to express the value a safe and attractive playground has in a community, but soon it was impossible to hear them over the resurgence of shouts against the idea of a fence at the Second and Hilton site.

Trustee Torino stated that the issue should be put on hold as the CPOA and Village revisit the entire issue and consider all of the options before $20,000 is spent on laying down safety surfaces, which would be destroyed if the equipment were installed and then later removed for relocation. He stated that when the development of the proposal for Sixth and Hilton began, "No one expected to step into a firestorm." Since there was so much controversy over each proposed site, he argued that at this juncture, the entire issue should be re-thought. He quipped, "It's bad enough to shoot yourself in the foot, but only an idiot reloads."

A motion was finally passed that before the equipment is replaced at Second and Hilton and before anything else is done, the CPOA would formally request from Village Administrator Bob Schoelle the answer to whether or not the fence is required. This motion was unanimously passed by the CPOA.

The next meeting of the CPOA is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 8 p.m. in the Senior Recreation Center and is open to the public. Residents wishing to express their views on the playground issue should attend to hear the response about the fence and to help the CPOA develop a plan which will please the majority of Central residents. As was noted by CPOA President Barbara Miller, "the political reality is that we have to go back to the Recreation Commission" with the issue. In order to persuade the Commission to act as the CPOA wished, a "large force" of Central residents would need to attend and make their wishes known. Letters can also be written to the Village Board of Trustees and the Recreation Commission as well as the CPOA to express opinions on the issue.