Readers Write: Questions remain about North High parking lot

The Island Now

The Great Neck Public School Board of Education’s responses to the issues raised about paving over a soccer field to create a parking lot at the North High School raises questions about the thought processes of its members.

When asked about specifically informing the neighbors directly affected by this process, Ms. Sassouni said that it is in fact a legal requirement and that they did the best they could. The surrounding houses have owners whose names and addresses are part of the public record.

If the residents were not directly informed during the consideration of this project that there would be a meeting to discuss this, how can she say that they did the best they could?

More to the point, if it is a legal requirement that the neighbors be informed and given an opportunity to comment and this was not done, isn’t proceeding with the project illegal? How can they say they have no choice but to proceed when in doing so they will be violating the law? In fact, the Board appears to have no choice but to stop and start over if they still wish to proceed with this project.

Just as significant is what appears to be a lack of imagination in trying to solve a problem that they perceive to exist.

They are willing to forfeit one of the few remaining green spaces in Great Neck to pander to the desires of a few students and parents, taking the easy approach.

Rather than teaching students (and their parents) that resources are limited in this world and that it is not unreasonable to ration items that are not essential to life, they are teaching them that conveniences will be granted whenever possible.

The school could be teaching students about the benefits of carpooling, taking public transportation, walking and exercising, etc. Instead, they are encouraging driving. It is stated that there are students who need cars to get to afterschool jobs.

Many people in our society take public transportation or walk to work.

It is a privilege at this age for children to have a car, not a right, and they should learn to make accommodations for the privilege of driving.

There are plenty of spots at the Parkwood Pool complex where they could park if they must drive – yes, there is a short walk from there.

But doesn’t it make more sense to utilize an already existent parking lot (unfilled), within walking distance of the high school, than in bulldozing many trees and covering a greenspace with asphalt? It is stated that adding spots will solve a safety issue.

Increasing vehicular traffic at the start and end of the school day with inexperienced drivers in an area where many pedestrians (fellow students) are walking does not strike me as being particularly safe.

If there is concern about the competition for the existing spots encouraging dangerous behavior and vandalism, what is the purpose of having a guard there all day if he is not preventing such actions? If he needs help, cameras could be placed to watch the lot and identify perpetrators of heinous acts.

Having a lottery system for spots would educate the students about sharing limited resources.

The board is taking the easy way out in saying let’s just build a new lot to provide more parking for students. It is reprehensible that it is at the expense of a greenspace, a mixture of trees and a field, and that the surrounding neighbors were not asked to participate in the decision-making process.

While the student drivers may ask is it fair for them not to be provided parking spots, is it fair to ask the community to pay a large sum of money to destroy a natural area that can be used for the enjoyment of many for the benefit of a few students who have alternatives for getting to school or who could drive but would have to also walk a short distance?

There are legal and less expensive (both financially and for the environment) mechanisms for solving what the Board perceives to be a problem. It just requires a little imagination or, at least, thought.

 

Robert Mendelson

Great Neck

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