WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

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The Dragon Coaster at Playland. The proposal of Sustainable Playland to reinvent Playland was officially scrapped by Westchester County today. The Field House strongly objected to by the City of Rye is no longer an option. Sustainable Playland will remain involved as a fundraiser for the park only, the County Executive announced this afternoon.

WPCNR PLAYLAND GO-ROUND. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. (Edited:WPCNR Edits in light italics) June 11, 1014:  

The Sustainable Playland  dream of bringing a field house,an amusement zone, a restaurant row on the boardwalk and new modern rides to Playland, as well as a great lawn is for all intent and purposes dead.

The Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino announced today:

“The asset management agreement the county had with SPI to operate the park will now lapse by mutual agreement. As such, the plans SPI had been making with operators (an Amusement Zone to be run by Central Amusement International and a Field Zone to be run by Playland Sports) are being withdrawn. However, SPI will be retained as a fundraiser for the park.”

Astorino said he understood the frustration that many have that the reinvention of Playland has not moved faster, or been easier. He shares that frustration, but he stressed the important thing was to keep moving forward.

As part of the continuing effort to save Playland, Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino today announced several actions ( retaining SPI previously suggested experts), designed to improve the finances of the park and increase its attractiveness as a year-round destination.

American Skating Entertainment Centers, the largest independent owner/operator of ice rinks in the United States, whose year-round sports facilities include the Westchester Skating Academy in Elmsford, will become the new operator of the Ice Casino at Playland. (The Playland Ice Casino has for years been considerably less expensive than the Westchester Skating Academy, WPCNR notes).

The rink operator is one of Sustainable Playland suggested partners in the proposed Sustainable Playland takeover of Playland, that was currently under review by the Board of Legislators a review that is  currently suspended because according to Catherine Borgia of the County Board of Legislators (speaking on Radio WVOX Tuesday), Sustainable Playland was not ready to talk about their financing of the park scheduled to be reviewed  yesterday.

Astorino also announced that Dan Biederman, recognized internationally as a leader in privately funded urban and public space management, whose accomplishments include the restoration of Bryant Park in New York City, has been hired to do an “on the ground” review of the amusement park, which will include examinations of operations, factors contributing to profits and losses, and opportunities for sponsorships.

Biederman, too has been associated with Sustainable Playland as their leading advisor and manager of the park should Sustainable Playland take control of it, which they no longer apparently are interested in doing.

Sustainable Playland Inc. will continue to work with the county, but with a shift in focus, Astorino’s news release reported, saying SPI will now concentrate on fund raising with a particular emphasis on ensuring money is available with respect to historic preservation and environmental conservation. The county, as it currently does, will retain full control over the operations of the entire 280-acre park.

“Everything we have learned in the last four years has pointed to the same conclusion,” said Astorino. “The long-term financial viability of Playland depends on finding ways to make the park a year-round destination. These latest moves reaffirm our approach to not only improve the amusement park, but also to create complimentary attractions that extend the season beyond the summer. The math is simple. More days and more activities mean more dollars to defray costs to taxpayers and invest in preserving the traditions of Playland.”

Last year, Playland cost taxpayers $4.3 million ($1.3 million in operating losses and $3 million in debt service).

Attendence though is up substantially. During the first three weeks of Playland opening weekends since May 11, attendance at the park is up 25%, 54,000 admissions compared to 41,000 in the same period in 2013, according to the County Commissioner of Recreation and Parks, Peter Tartaglia.

The outline of the deal with American Skating calls for a 10-year contract, with an option to renew for an additional 10 years, that will pay the county an upfront payment of $300,000 the first year; a base payment $250,000 the second year, which will increase by 2% each year thereafter; and 25 percent of the gross revenue above $1.6 million annually.

In addition, American Skating will make $640,000 in capital improvements to the Ice Casino within the first 18 months of the contract. These capital improvements at American Skating’s expense will go largely toward refurbishing and modernizing the interior of the building with upgraded floors, lighting, electronics, bathrooms, locker rooms and guest services areas. These improvements are in addition to the approximately $4.5 million it will take to reopen the Ice Casino in September when repairing the damages caused by Superstorm Sandy will be completed.

“American Skating Entertainment Centers is excited to be coming to Playland, especially at a time when we get to be part of the rebuilding and rebirth of the Ice Casino and the park,” said Shane Coppola, chairman and CEO of American Skating. “Our experience as one of the top ice rink operators in the country, as well as in Westchester, along with the great venue and team at Playland will be a winning combination for skaters at every level and their families.”

Biederman’s role will be to focus on current operations and future opportunities. He and members of his team will be in the park all summer looking for ways to improve revenue generation, cost control, and visitor experience. In addition, the team will explore strategic options for the park such as the selection of a private operator, the addition of new attractions and activities and the development of revenue generating sponsorships. In the fall, Biederman will present a list of recommendations on how best to secure Playland’s long-term future.

“The riddle for solving Playland is how do you make the park relevant in 2014 and still preserve its traditions and charms,” said Biederman, president of Biederman Redevelopment Ventures. “The answer is a combination of operational excellence, having enough money to invest in the future and a vision that positions your assets to excite patrons to want to visit the park for multiple reasons at multiple times throughout the year. The County Executive has put that framework in place. My job is to help tie it together by advising on tactical and strategic matters that will range from improving the financial performance at the park as it now exists to broadening the scope of experiences at the park in the future.”

In its new role, SPI will perform three advocacy functions: act as Playland’s chief private fundraiser, similar to what Friends of Parks does for all of the county’s parks; safeguard the historic nature of park and its traditions; and reach out to residents from around the county to promote their interests and voice their concerns with respect to the future of Playland.

“I want to thank the County Executive for his support,” said Kim Morque, president of Sustainable Playland Inc. “SPI and its volunteer members are proud of the work we have done in launching the vision for a reinvented Playland. We are enthusiastic about our new advocacy and fundraising role, as it will play to our strengths as a group of citizen volunteers. SPI cares deeply about Playland and will continue to work hard to preserve its past traditions and strengthen its financial viability in the future.”

Astorino thanked SPI and its members for their many contributions and looks forward to their continued involvement.

The day-to-day operation of Playland will remain the responsibility of the county Park’s department for the remainder of this year. Whether that role changes won’t be decided until after the recommendations from the Biederman team are made.

For the foreseeable future, the county will also deal directly with the park’s current vendors and partners, such as the Children’s Museum, and potential new operators.

“There are a lot of competing dynamics involved, so it is not surprising that the path to success has not been a straight one,” Astorino said. “But we have made progress, and if we stay focused on finding ways to make the whole park more attractive to more people for more days out of the year, there is still time to find a formula that can secure the future of Playland.”

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Freedom Ride Bus Burning set fire by white protestors attacking a freedom ride, 1961

WPCNR STREET STRAIGHT. June 10, 2014:

Juneteenth 2014 — the celebration of the freeing of the slaves by President Abaraham Lincoln in 1863, when the news was finally received in Texas in 1865, will be commemorated  in White Plains Saturday with the 10th Annual Juneteenth parade which is honoring Civil Rights Freedom Riders as Grand Marshalls.

The parade takes place between 12 and 2 PM Saturday on Mamaroneck Avenue, followed by a Street Festival on Court Street from 1 to 6 P.M.the by all walks and creeds of life today at the annual Juneteenth parade in White Plains.

For those of you who do not know of the Freedom Riders story,  a handful of white and black activists were organized by the Congress of Racial Equality to take buses into the Deep South to end whites-only segregation in bus terminals. The Freedom Rides began when 13 African-American and white activists departed Washington, D.C.  May 4, 1961. ,  in a risk-fraught effort  to end whites only segregation in bus terminals in the Deep South.

They tried to use “Whites-only” restrooms, ordered at whites served only lunch counters attempted to integrate facilities at bus terminals along the way into the Deep South. African-American Freedom Riders tried to use “whites-only” restrooms and lunch counters, and  white freedom riders entered “Colored Only” rest-rooms and “Colored only” serving areas.vice versa. White protestors assaulted and afflicted the riders with violance along the pilgramage, and the televised and newspaper press coverage harrowingly depicted the ugly face of segregation the Negro had to deal with across the South to the world.

Neo-Nazi “Hate Bus” one group that opposed the Freedom Riders

The Freedom Riders’ willingness to suffer beatings, arrests, and God knows what, unarmed, unafraid, at the mercy of the worst,  so shamed America that  4 months later In September 1961, the Interstate Commerce Commission outlawed segregation in bus terminas and railroad stations across the country.

Freedom Riders were beaten

The 1961 Freedom Rides took insipiration from the  1947 Journey of Reconciliation crusade. That effort was the first time  African-American and white bus riders tested the 1946 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Morgan v. Virginia that segregated bus seating was unconstitutional. The 1961 Freedom Rides sought to test a 1960 decision by the Supreme Court in Boynton v. Virginia that segregation of interstate transportation facilities, including bus terminals, was unconstitutional.

And arrested.,

Dan Seidel suggested to  WPCNR Wednesday  that the 1964 murders of  a 21-year black man, James Chaney from Philadelphia, Mississippi, and two Jewish civil rights activists  Andrew Goodman, 20, and 24 year-old Michael Schwerner  who came to  Mississippi to register voters should be included among the unarmed, and extremely brave crusaders for truth justice and the American Way who died for it.

Seidel wrote WPCNR: “These kids deserve memorializing for their efforts – they added to the national conscious.This should be taught to the kids in schools. Some people gave all for the rights of others – the fight being at home.”

We agree.

The three were murdered by a conspiracy between the Ku Klux Klan and the Nashoba County, Mississippi police. Borgna Brunner has written a chilling account of how these three men were murdered and the subsequent arrests and prosecutions. You can read the story of this shameful cold blooded hate crime here– a distinctly “American” hate crime :

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bhmjustice4.html

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A helmet on a beach in Normandy in the aftermath of D-Day.
Photo by David Turnley from the book W W II in 100 objects.

WPCNR MILESTONES. June 6, 2014: 

It has been 71 years since allied troops died and lived on Normandy’s beaches in France in the largest military operation in history to turn the tide against Nazi Germany, the ultimate evil Third Reich.

It is a day to remember, reflect. Examine ourselves. Would we have the courage those men and women did?

I thought in preparing my simple news program yesterday, what kind of of visual should I put up to remember those brave who faced massive, withering fire hitting and dying instantly on those beaches. Should it be the sobering pictures of the wounded? The sobering lineups corpses in the sand? The overhead awe-inspiring photographs of the landing?

I chose this: thousands of crosses to remember who died together fighting tyranny and evil because you must always fight tyranny and evil and hate. You cannot negotiate with it.

The crosses are all the same. And there are thousands of them in graveyards like the one shown here. The legacy of spent humanity, all the same in death, united in death no matter their nationality, creed, religion.  Next time you hear the speeches of hate and prejudice and superiority, please remember this picture and this day.

We can in no way, or through any motion picture know what any veteran experienced that day. The veterans who still are with us do not like to talk about their combat experiences. And they do not.

One veteran of D-Day, asked what he thought of Saving Private Ryan, the movie of a few years ago depicting the landing and the realism of it, said the real D-Day was worse. However, veterans we have interviewed remark that they think of their combat experience every day. It is always with them.

It is inconceivable to me that I could ever be able to do what these men and women did. I would like to hope I could have. However, the veterans have.

They left ordinary lives as teenagers office workers, factory workers, farmers, accountants, and what have you and were able to go to war and “rise to the occasion,” or as they say today, “step it up to the next level.” The highest level.

Few of them are left now. But today their sacrifice should be remembered.

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WPCNR SOUTHEND TIMES. By John F. Bailey. June 3, 2014 Updated 10 P.M. E.D.T.:

The Common Council moved last night to set the first of three Public Hearings to review the at long last official proposed site plan for the French American School of New York consolidated campus proposed for the grounds of the former Ridgeway Country Club. Mayor Thomas Roach said the hearing would probably continue into September.

The new proposed site plan based on the Final Environmental Impact State accepted by the Common Council in December confirms what WPCNR reported last Friday when WPCNR learned that the French American School had purchased 565 North Street (mailing address,557 North Street, identified in the site plan material released today), shown above,  the home and property adjacent the former fairways of the club which end at North Street .

The new site plans are viewable on the City of White Plains website at

http://johnmeyerconsulting.com/fasny/site-plan-special-permit-submission/

The new proposed North Street entrance in the site plain looks like this:

The acquisition of the property shown, allows FASNY to build a turn in and turn out intersection in direct line with the present entrance to the White Plains High School. Previously the school had proposed the Board of Education agree to move the entrance slightly north to connect to the defunct fairways. The new plan no longer needs any approval from the Board of Education since it has acquired the 565 North Street  property.

The rest of the new site plan overview:

http://johnmeyerconsulting.com/fasny/site-plan-special-permit-submission/

Close up of the main campus site plain

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