Quite a few decades ago, (even though it feels like yesterday) Pelham Bay and our adjacent communities resembled the country. During WW II, we were encouraged to utilize our back yards or adjacent empty lots to plant fruit and vegetables. They were called victory gardens. So very many enjoyed their victory gardens. When the weather reached above 95 degrees, on weekends, the neighbors would gather their chairs and sit outside under the stars. No air conditioning then to cool off. A guitar would lead us, and wonderful voices joined together and sang the hot night away. No one ever heard of global warming then. It was summer, it always got very hot in the summer. Great memories of growing up in our country communities.
That era is gone and so is our wonderful country communities. The City planners have turned our country communities into a overcrowded, over developed, hap-hazard, hodge-podge, mess. No vision for preserving the wonderful homes with windows in every room to let the light in. A driveway for the one car the owner owned. Green, green everywhere. The bull dozer tore down these functional homes and replaced them with over sized buildings without any parking facilities. City Planners and Dept. of Buildings allowed huge new banks to be built without drive in windows. Also, the mind boggling fact, not one municipal parking lot on any of our commercial streets.
The insanity continues, with more and more approval of more and more new construction by adding five stories on top of existing stores on Westchester and Continental avenues. Another new building proposed for 3268 Westchester Ave. Let us unite with Councilman Jimmy Vacca to enforce the down-zoning of all our commercial streets. We must demand that any property for sale on a commercial street must be given first priority for a municipal parking lot.
The over development with absolutely no parking facilities has contributed to the overwhelming problem of Hitler-like tactics by meter maids and ticket agents We cannot afford $115 and plus tickets . We are not millionaires, we are a community of hard working middle class workers. Getting a $115 ticket for double parking (because of a complete lack of parking spots) will encourage our residents to shop and spend that $115 at a mall with large parking facilities. We would rather shop in our own communities.
An example of harsh and extremely unfair treatment of Draconian tactics by ticket agents to fill their monthly quotas. A close friend, after trying unsuccessfully to park, and choosing not to park in the no parking right lane zone at Pelham Bay Station so he wouldn’t impede the traffic making a right turn after the red light. (Sadly, too many always park there). He double parked in front of Sofies Diner while his girlfriend ran to buy two cups of coffee. Instead of the agent asking him to move his car, the agent, with his hand held computer #%^&*#@ device handed him a double parking ticket.
We applaud and welcome Councilman Jimmny Vacca and Brooklyn Councilman Simca Fedder for their efforts to regulate the process of parking violations by reinstating a five minute grace period for certain parking violations, including no-parking zones and expired parking meters. They would also require pictures be taken of certain parking violations every time a ticket is issued using new camera technology. Amen. Finally, a technology that hopefully, may help the side of the driver.
A reminder to mail your $10 dues to the Pelham Bay Taxpayers & Civic Association. P.O. Box 31- Pilgrim Station, Bronx, N. Y. 10461 which includes your one year subscription to the BronxTimes Reporter mailed to your home.
We were all thrilled with the Miracle on the Hudson River–but at the moment of the announcement of a plane going down near the Intrepid- there were moments of flashback of 9-11. What a wonderful miracle that all survived and I thank President Bush for keeping us safe since 9-11.
