For all of the 55 years I’ve lived in Manorhaven, winter has been so dreaded and not just because of the cold weather. From Dec. 1 – March 31, we had to park on alternate sides of the street just in case it snowed. Even without alternate side parking, there aren’t enough spaces for all the cars in the Village. We would come home from work at night to find no spaces anywhere near our homes, having to park more than a block away and walk in the cold and dark to get home. Sometimes we wouldn’t go out for fear our spot wouldn’t be there when we returned.
When Jim Avena was elected as a trustee in 2015, he suggested an alternate side of the street parking plan only during snow emergencies. The Fire Department wouldn’t allow it because snow removal was so awful then. As soon as Jim became mayor the following year, he turned around snow removal performance to where it was one of the best in Port Washington. He also reduced the length of alternate side regulations by a full month since it almost never snowed in early December and late March. In 2017, alternate side parking was abolished other than during snow emergencies and it has worked perfectly. The Village staff is able to remove the snow and residents are abiding by the rules.
Such a simple change has improved the quality of life in our Village so much, thanks to Mayor Jim Avena. I hope you’ll join me in voting to re-elect him and his trustee candidates on Sept. 15.
Lucia Yakkey
Manorhaven
