BUCKINGHAM POND CRESTWOOD
Neighborhood News  Spring 2014
                                                                                                                                     

We live in one of the nicest remaining 
residential neighborhoods in 
the City of Albany.

One reason for this is that we have had
an active neighborhood association with
strong leadership for the past 29 years.

Spring is a time of renewal. A time to
renew your involvement in your neighborhood
association.

Long time homeowners, and new residents
have a stake in making sure that our
neighborhood remains a good place to live.

There are plenty of issues of concern. 

 Buckingham Pond Park - the centerpiece
of our neighborhood needs many of improvements. 

The neighborhood Crestwood
Plaza needs improvement. 

Pedestrian and traffic safety needs are vital. 
Speeding cars, running stop lights and stop signs
require strict enforcement responses.

Emergency/Disaster Preparedness is vital for
individuals, households, schools
churches, synagogues,health care providers
and businesses in our neighborhood.

Government can't save us.
We have to save ourselves and our government.

Street trees are dying off due to many factors
including age, vehicle emissions, lack of care
application of excessive amounts of road salt 
and insect invasions.

We need a neighborhood urban forestry 
program for streets, homes and Buckingham 
Pond Park.
Trees beautify our neighborhood, add value
to our properties, cool and shade us in summer
serve as windbreaks in winter and combat
air pollution from vehicles, chimneys and dry
airborne road salt residues - by absorbing 
carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. 

Reduce and eliminate road salt use which
destroys, bridges, roads, our expensive
vehicles, kills street trees and presents a
health hazard to humans and our dogs.

Improve snowplowing on city streets.

Buckingham Pond Park needs  a plan
to reduce applications of lawn chemicals
and road salt use in the pond watershed 
plantings to reduce shoreline erosion
and a long term woodland management
plan. Coarse gravel needs to be applied
to paths, rather than blue stone flour
which becomes compacted and poorly
drained creating dangerous fall conditions
when wet and/or frozen.

There are a number of dead trees and
limbs overhanging paths which pose a
hazard to unaware walkers and joggers.

The foot of Lenox, South Side of pond
needs a guard rail or several large rocks
to prevent a speeding out of control car
from failing to negotiate the bend in the
road: plunging over the edge and landing
on pedestrians or joggers on the path
below.

There are numerous recommendations
regarding the improvement of Buckingham
Pond Park, on  our neighborhood website
http://bpcnanews.blogspot.com/ . Use the
search bar at the top of the page. Print
in the topic you seek information, or
search archives by year and month.


Albany Municipal Golf Course is a target
for privatization by politicians seeking funds
to close city budget gaps and have more
money to fund social programs.

The City golf course is an essential year
round recreational open space offering
golfing, cross country skiing and sledding,
scenic views of the Catskill and Helderberg
Mountains, a fine restaurant, scenic walks
and a place where pet owners and dogs
may enjoy the outdoors.

We oppose any efforts to privatize this
jewel which benefits neighborhood
residents , as well as those who live 
elsewhere in the city.

Neighborhood Watch. All residents are
part of it. See something? Say and do
something.

Call APD, Center Square Station 458 5660
or 438 4000.

Anti- Terror Hotline: 1 866 SAFE NYS 
                                         (723 3697) 

Call me at 438 5230 and we can discuss
what role(s) you can play in maintaining
and improving the residential integrity
and quality of life in our neighborhood.

                                  Joe Sullivan