Resident Amico Tells City to Finish the Job
Rye resident Jim Amico sent the following email to Rye city officials on Wednesday, December 3rd thanking the city for a new fence erected at Rye Recreation park on Midland Avenue and requesting they now finish the job by completing a final 40 foot stretch to alleviate safety and vandalism concerns. Amico and his wife lost their 10 year old son Jarrid in 2006 when he was struck by a car on Midland Avenue.
"I would like to take this opportunity to commend you on the NICE NEW GLOSSY BLACK LINK FENCE @ the Rye Rec Park & all its new markings/signs. It was a long time overdue. The buzz in our neighborhood is that it looks awesome, right up to the point where you stopped 40ft short of the Exit driveway on the North End of the park. To say the very least it looks unfinished & we couldn't afford the last 40ft. Our main concerns are #1 SAFETY,#2 VANDALISM;
SAFETY: As you know the park can be very busy w/children of all sizes & ages,especially on Chaotic Soccer Weekends. It would not take but a second for a child to run off from their family into the street & GET HURT OR TRAGICALLY WORSE!! It would also take that same second for some sicko to come by and snatch up someones child & never be seen again. WE ALL REMEMBER "THE MAN IN THE GREEN VAN"!!!
VANDALISM: As you are aware, back in this Summer,after a rain storm, someone went 4 wheeling all over the Rec Field. To stop this you lined the field w/several Hideous Boulders [which we all have become use to]. Vandalism,as you know can be very costly to the Tax Payers. Vandalism has been a major problem @ the Rec for sometime now. Since you have eliminated all the gates thus taking away all Security possibilities after hours there is no way to secure the park. Since the completion [2 weeks later] of the new fence, minus the 40ft, someone has already driven a vehicle from the McDonald Bldg. across the field & out over the sidewalk where the fence is short 40ft. The evidence of burn marks from the tires are still on the sidewalk. We are sure that this was not your intent. When I asked Sally why the fence was left the way it is her reply was: "To give the park a fresh look". The neighborhood could not disagree more.
Therefore WE [the Midland Ave. Neighborhood Residents] RESPECTFULLY REQUEST that the Fence be completed to the extent of the last 40ft."
