By Steve Darcangelo
Village Engineer
As you can imagine, spring is a very busy time for the Village of Baldwinsville Department of Public Works. Just as the snow melts away and the birds start to chirp, our DPW workforce begins to change out of their plow trucks and into their fair season attire … which for DPW guys is loaders, dump trucks and tractors.
Beginning the week of April 9, the village will begin curbside yard waste collection. This service allows residents to place tree limbs, brush, grass clippings and other yard waste at the curb for removal. We will be out collecting every Monday through the month of April. During the summer months we collect on the first and third Mondays of the month. See the DPW Newsletter on the village’s website (baldwinsville.org/departments/dpw) for collection dates and more information regarding yard waste collection.
Spring is also the time we ready village parks for our residents’ enjoyment. The village’s three parks, Community Park, Mercer Park and McHarrie Park, all have facilities for leisure relaxation, dog walking, children’s play areas, picnicking and other outdoor recreation. Mercer Park has a pavilion and gazebo, which are generally open to the public but can also be reserved for private use (contact Village Hall if interested at (315) 635-3521). New to our parks is a nature walking trail in Community Park and kayak launches in both Community Park and Mercer Park. Be sure to check them out. Plans are underway for a new pavilion in Community Park that will be constructed later this summer.
In addition to our parks, the village has a number of green spaces and walking trails that provide casual recreational opportunities for everyone in the community. The Yevich Trail and both trails on the south side of the river have been great pedestrian routes for those who enjoy walking throughout our village. This summer these trails will all be paved providing an improved surface for bicycling and pushing strollers. Benches at the waterfront on Marble Street provide a place to relax and watch boats pass as they enter and exit Lock 24. The newly completed patio in Village Square provides a nice setting to sit and relax before or after catching a meal at one of our local restaurants or taverns. We encourage everyone to take advantage of these fine facilities.
Also on our spring list of “things to do” is prepare Paper Mill Island for what is anticipated to be a great summer of music and outdoor events. While the schedule is not yet finalized, we are expecting a number of music performances, art exhibits and other outdoor festivals to be held this summer on PMI. The middle of May will be an exciting time as PMI will host three greatly anticipated music events. On May 17, Umphrey’s McGee rolls into town bringing its style of American rock that includes covers of various artists and original music from their 11 studio albums. If you enjoy the great sounds of Led Zeppelin, you will not want to miss our concert with Get the Led Out on May 19. This band is said to be one of the best Led Zeppelin tribute bands in the country. If the Grateful Dead is more to your liking, mark your calendar for May 20 when the Dark Star Orchestra takes to the PMI Amphitheater stage to perform their brand of “Dead-Head” tunes. This band is highly acclaimed as the finest tribute to Grateful Dead music and has been honored during past concerts by being joined on stage by original members of the Grateful Dead. A unique exhibit visiting the Island this summer is the Corning Museum of Glass GlassBarge on July 13 and 14. GlassBarge will present demonstrations of glass blowing and history of the glass industry in New York State. For additional information on PMI summer concerts visit creativeconcerts.com. For more information on GlassBarge visit cmog.org/glassmaking/demos/hot-glass-demos/glassbarge.
To keep your roads safe, water running from the tap and village streets looking great your DPW crews will be hard at work filling potholes, resurfacing streets, maintaining our water plants and planting trees and flowers on our streetscapes.
Your DPW strives to serve the residents of the village of Baldwinsville in the very best and efficient way that we can. If you ever have questions or need something that we may be able to assist with, please feel free to give me a call at (315) 635-9665.
Local Leaders is a monthly column in which a representative from the village of Baldwinsville or the towns of Lysander and Van Buren writes about a topic or issue they’re dealing with in local government.
