A referendum ballot allowing Town of Lancaster residents the opportunity to vote and decide whether the town wanted another park and were willing to bond $7.5 million to begin the project was voted down last night. 12,918 (53%) ‘no’ ballots were cast, 11,437 (47%) ‘yes’ ballots were cast.
The town will discontinue project pursuit.
People didn't even know what it was, or where it would be.
I don't know how this could even be put out for a vote without more information. It's no wonder it was shot down. The town should have hired the marketing team that the LCSD Superintendent did, to convince the taxpayer to waste thousands per household.
Originally Posted by yaksplat
Spot on, Yak!
We were told by the town, “Tell us what you want and what you want to spend.” At the informational meeting nothing was revealed on park location or what the 20-30 acre proposed park would consist of, or estimation of final cost.
What kind of park could be constructed on a 20–30-acre site to accommodate the community? The community, not only those seeking more athletic playing fields.
An all-inclusive park with accessibility, parking, shelters, picnic tables, playground, walking path, restrooms? The community kept hearing more fields were needed and not enough on what the park would offer it!
Yes, all that information would come later, but for some too late when making their decision - a decision on paying for something that has no personal benefit.
Given the lack of information and the town officials not publicly expressing their opinions on this project, the prop was doomed from the beginning. I have a theory on why the the town decided to send this out to vote but it doesn't really matter and we're not likely to see a new park built in Lancaster for another generation. So that's that. The issues of the past remain unresolved, additional green space will be gobbled up by developers, but hey, the people have spoken.
Although good reasons and comments were made at the new park Informational Meeting, where the town declared residents had the opportunity to tell the board whether they wanted a new park and what were they willing to spend, too many meeting attendees walked away uncertain on what they were going to vote on.
Arguably, on paper the Town of Lancaster is underserved in parks and greenspace to accommodate present and future growth. Especially if you discount Erie County’s Como Lake Park that serves the town, has 64 shelters, playgrounds, hiking trails, et al to recreate in.
The new ADA compliant playground at Westwood Park is scheduled to open in Spring 2025!
Improvements and additions have been made to Lancaster’s existing parks.
Lancaster is only 34 square miles in size. A park serving a walkable community is non-realistic in today’s world – especially in Lancaster with its overburdened two-lane roads.
Most importantly, what kind of park can be constructed on the 20-30-acre site being considered? What have we heard for years from residents and Parks Department administrators: ‘WE NEED MORE ATHLETIC PLAYING FIELDS.”
Honestly, we do need more playing fields. The town has spoken on that in at least the past 15 years, promised that land would be donated to the town, which never happened. The town was remiss in purchasing greenspace and today should be thanked for putting the park dilemma to the public by referendum.
If playing fields, residents are apt to resist because of the exorbitant amount of money being spent on turf fields, dugouts, backstops, drainage, etc.
That does not absolve the town of its responsibility to at least purchase greenspace for future park development. Available land has and is being gobbled up developers whose sole interest is profit and will be reticent in surrendering any developable greenspace for community best interests.
This proposal should be revisited but not before the community honestly learns what kind of park will be built and how it serves the interest of the entire community.
The problem with Como Park is that it's maintained by the county. They've decided to stop mowing huge areas of the park as a regenerative space. They've torn down baseball backstops. We're not allowed to hold baseball practices there. You can't have a balloon in there.
It's great if your plan is to do laps around the park in a creepy Winnebago, or if you're into sitting in a shelter smoking weed all day.
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