Welcome to The Open Space Advocate Newsletter, an online
newsletter focusing on land preservation issues in North Castle and
surrounding communities. Several recent land preservation deals that
will protect our drinking water now and for generations to come are a
real reason for celebration. Read more below....
Land is such a
valuable resource of our community that we must strive to protect and
preserve it, especially during tough economic times. Land is a
resource that provides us with a place to hike, camp, and vacation
right in our own backyard. In 2004, residents of North Castle
overwhelming approved a $3 million dollar open space acquisition bond
fund. The commitment to land preservation continues to grow today as
the connection between the land and the health of our communities is
documented. As evidence mounts that the health of our children depends
on getting them outside into nature, a movement called No Child Left Inside is sweeping the nation. Read more below.....
If you missed the previous issues of this newsletter and would like to read them please go to www.openspaceadvocate.com.
Sincerely,
Kerri A. Kazak, Editor
______________________________________________________________ Dubos Property To Be Preserved
The Mount Kisco Village Board of Trustees has agreed to
purchase the 30-acre Dubos Property located on Baldwin Road in North Castle for $475,000. Mount Kisco plans to preserve the land which drains directly
into Byram Lake Reservoir, the sole source of drinking water for the
10,000 residents of Mount Kisco. Preservation of this vital property, which is home to many species
of wildlife including bobcats, has long been a goal of preservationists throughout Westchester County.
In 1979 the property was bought by the Rene Dubos Center, a non-profit
organization, using money it received in exchange for a promise to keep
the property as a
nature preserve. Despite this promise, in 2002 the Dubos Center
attempted to sell the property to Michael Cappelli who planned to
develop it. On September 25, 2007, the State Supreme Court in White
Plains ruled that Dubos could not sell the land to
Cappelli because residential development of the land violated the donors' intent. Preservation
of the Dubos Property is a goal of the Town of North Castle; therefore,
North Castle officials are considering contributing to the purchase
price of the property. Westchester Land Trust, which has
played an instrumental role in preserving this property, may also
contribute towards the purchase price. _______________________________________________________ Voice Your Support to Preserve the Dubos Property
Tell
the North Castle Town Board that you support North Castle helping to
purchase the Dubos Property and preserving it for all generations!
E-Mail: townclerk@northcastleny.com Write: North Castle Town Hall, 15 Bedford Road, Armonk, NY 10504 Fax: 273-4176 ____________________________________________________________________ Bowling Alley Site Sold to NYC Department of Environmental Protection
After
ten years of negotiations, owner Michael Fareri has sold 6.8 acres at
the former Armonk Bowl site on Old Route 22 in Armonk to the NYC
Department of Environmental Protection (the "DEP"). The DEP plans to
demolish the buildings and parking lot on the site and restore the site
to wetlands. Because of Armonk Bowl's close location to Kensico Reservoir, DEP has always considered environmental protection of this property a very high priority. The Kensico Reservoir is central to the
New York City water supply system. Kensico receives water from all six
Catskill and Delaware system reservoirs and supplies about one million NYC residents and more than
500,000 lower Westchester residents. Preservation of this key property has been the goal of many town, county, and New York City residents for years.The
newly purchased land is adjacent to other lands previously acquired
from Mr. Fareri by the DEP for water quality protection purposes. _____________________________________________________________________ Town of North Castle Purchases Land in Quarry Heights
In
October 2008, the Town of North Castle purchased almost one third of an
acre adjacent to Quarry Heights Park for $180,000. Located in a densely developed part of town, the new land will
be added to the existing park which is located off Old Orchard Street
and consists of a play ground and picnic area. The property is located
in an area which recently was approved for the installation of sewers
and is therefore likely to experience more building pressure. The land
purchase will help ensure that the residents in this area have a green
place for kids to play, families to meet, and residents to enjoy. The North Castle Town Board and the North Castle Open Space Committee should be commended for their work on this project. __________________________________________________________________ Update On Chestnut Ridge Land
Last spring, the North Castle Town Board was considering selling
a 2-acre parcel owned by the town located at #48 Chestnut Ridge Road
right in the middle of a wildlife corridor. Over 218 signatures were
collected on petitions and letters asking the Town Board to preserve
not sell this property. The Town Board listened and have put plans
to sell the property on hold while giving neighbors time to explore
ways to purchase the property.
Please
thank the Town Board for listening. Take a moment and e-mail them at:
townclerk@northcastleny.com, or write to them at North Castle Town
Hall, 15 Bedford Road, Armonk, NY 10504.
_______________________________________________________________ Land Preservation Plays A Key Role in Sustainability
Sustainability is a term we hear frequently
today as we face the massive problems of climate change and depletion
of resources. Sustainability means having economic, social and
environmental systems that provide a healthy, productive and meaningful
life for all community residents now and in the future. Land
preservation plays a key role in creating a sustainable community.
Preserving land not only helps protect our water resources and the
habitats of many species, but it provides all generations with places
for recreation and a chance to connect with nature.
On
Saturday January 31st, Bedford is holding an Environmental Summit
entitled What You Can Do: A Path to Sustainability. This all day event
runs from 8 am to 4:30 pm at Fox Lane High School. This community
event is overflowing with lectures, workshops, and an expo. For more
information go to www.SustainableBedford.org ___________________________________________________________________
No Child Left Inside Movement Sweeps the Nation
While
many children in our
community can tell you the names of their favorite tv shows and video
games, how many can tell you the names of their favorite nature preserves or
tell you a story about the last time they discovered something amazing
while hiking, camping, or just exploring in their backyards? Experts
are emphasizing that free play in nature is important for cognitive,
physical, social, and emotional development. Children today spend most
of their free time indoors playing video games, surfing the Internet,
and watching television and only a few minutes outside playing. Called
to action by experts such as Richard Louv whose book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder
has won international acclaim, a growing nationwide network is striving
to reconnect kids with nature. In 2008, U.S. Representative John
Sarbanes of Maryland and Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island co-sponsored
the Reed-Sarbanes No Child Left Inside Act which would provide $500
million for environmental education programs nationwide.
There
are many factors that are cited for contributing to the current
phenonmenon of children staying indoors, but one factor often cited is
land development resulting in fewer natural places close to home. To
read more about keeping our kids healthy by getting them outside visit:
The Children and Nature Network and The Trust for Public Land, "Playing It Smart".
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