albanyweblog.com
Updated
April 4, 2010
From: Lynne Jackson [mailto:lynnejackson@mac.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 2010 8:50 AM
To: David BrownDear Dave,
In your email response to Daniel Van Riper, you said:
I’m not even going to dignify any of your other comments with a response because you are so far off base it is sad.
Are you saying that Dan's comments about the construction of the Guilderland Y are incorrect? Dan is quite accurate. I remember very well the original proposal for the Guilderland YMCA which included taking 8 acres of dedicated Pine Bush Preserve land for a road turn around.
According to the officials proposing the Guilderland Y, taking Pine Bush Preserve land for the road was essential to the construction of the Y, and the project could not be built without it. Those 8 acres just had to be destroyed for the Y.
I attended the public hearing in Guilderland on this proposal. The room was packed with people advocating the destruction of these 8 acres of Preserve, and yelling at the handful of people from Save the Pine Bush about how we cared more about butterflies than children and youth.
All that changed when Save the Pine Bush sued over another project where the developer put water lines a few feet into the Preserve. The 8 acres for the turn around were no longer needed, and the Y was built without it.
I very much wish this same passion by Y officials that advocated for the destruction of the Pine Bush and ultimately built the Guilderland Y would be directed at preserving our Albany Y.
Dave, Dan never accused you of being a member of the Fort Orange club, only pointing out that you have the same mentality. The Fort Orange club wishes to tear down two perfectly good buildings for a parking lot.
In the Times Union on 12/20/09, you were quoted as saying that one idea is to tear down the perfectly good Albany Y and replace it with a parking garage to solve the "parking problem". I am sick and tired of people who think the solution to Albany's problems is to tear down perfectly good buildings and construct parking. This does nothing for the children and youth of our City, and fills our historic City with a sea of asphalt.
I am a member of the Albany Y. I like to walk, bike or bus to the Y. Parking is not the reason people go to the Y. I very much hope that Capital District YMCA will preserve and improve our Albany Y.
Sincerely,
Lynne Jackson
Citizen of Albany's South End
For more on the history of the battle to save the Pine Bush from the Guilderland Y, see:
http://www.savethepinebush.org/News/NovDec97/YMCA.html
http://www.savethepinebush.org/News/AugSept97/YMCA.html
David Brown's Reply:
From: David Brown <DBrown@cdymca.org>
Date: January 5, 2010 9:51:01 AM EST
To: Lynne Jackson <lynnejackson@mac.com>Subject: RE: The Albany YMCA
Lynne
I said all I have to say, and I don’t have to defend my words. I say what I mean, and I mean what I say. I’m sorry you feel the way you feel. I disagree with you and wish you well. I’m not going to argue with you over email, if you ever want to sit and talk like two adults then I would welcome that opportunity. I’m armed with all the facts on buildings, parking, and membership. Opinions, emails, and petitions are nice, but we need people to join, if we don’t have the membership then we can’t support the building, it’s simple. Take care.
Dave
Dave Brown
President and CEO
Capital District YMCA
465 New Karner Road
Albany, NY 12205
(518) 869-3500 ext 9900
email: dbrown@cdymca.org
"The Capital District YMCA is a charitable not -for-profit organization dedicated to building strong kids, strong families and strong communities"
YMCA mission: To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.