VILLAGE OF BALDWINSVILLE – Residents of East Oneida Street in the village of Baldwinsville are concerned about a proposal by the Baldwinsville Central School District to build a new entry into the district’s main campus behind their homes.
The proposal is part of the district’s proposed $63.9 million capital improvement project that voters will decide upon on May 16.
It would open up a new two-lane access point to the campus on Oswego Street and would include a new parking lot behind the 14 homes on East Oneida Street.
Last week, Paul DeFelice of East Oneida Street and several of his neighbors attended the village board meeting to express their concern about the proposal and their disappointment that nobody from the district or the village notified them of the plan.
“They’re not in a spirit of being a good neighbor,” he told the trustees.
Currently there is a significant traffic issue at the campus’ entryway off East Oneida Street when parents drop off and pick up their children from school. It is a trend that has come up at a number of area districts as more and more families opt to drive their children to school rather than having them take the bus.
“I’m empathetic to those waiting in line, but they don’t have to. It’s a choice,” Defelice said.
Mayor Richard Clarke said he met with representatives from the district several months ago and expressed concerns about the safety of the new traffic flowing onto Oswego Street.
“It was kind of a rough plan and the next thing I knew I got a mailer from the schools saying this was on their agenda,” Clarke said, indicating he would be in contact with the district and the state Department of Transportation. “I got to think if there’s got to be some concern if [the DOT is] aware of it about the ingress and egress on Oswego Street and blocking that street up.”
Yoga returns to Papermill Island
Free yoga classes will return Wednesday evenings to Papermill Island, beginning the first Wednesday in May and running through September. Last week, Baldwinsville village trustees voted to waive the fees for the program, which is entering its third year.
“It’s definitely a great opportunity just for the community to get together,” said Kevin McMahon, who made the proposal to the board.
