CHEERS to the Town of Peru for its beautiful Heyworth-Mason Park. One only needs to walk along the trails to feel the history that transpired in such a wonderful area. Combined efforts by citizens and the town has resulted in a lovely park.
JEERS, however, for not keeping the Gazebo Park in Peru up to the standards of the Heyworth-Mason Park. On a recent visit to Gazebo Park, one of our readers was turned away from a peaceful visit when she noticed trash and empty water bottles floating on the pond, covered in a greenish film, indicating they had been there for a while; little red spider mites crawling all over the wooden deck seating; decking material that has popped up, a danger that could cause a visitor to trip; and wood that looks like it hasn’t been sealed in years. This is an inviting spot in the middle of a busy area. It should be given the attention it deserves.
JEERS to those Plattsburgh State students who don’t know how to properly navigate a crosswalk. It doesn’t seem as if it should be necessary for the college to send out an email with instructions for how to use a crosswalk, but any driver who has missed a light at the intersections of Broad Street with Beekman and Draper would insist it is essential. The students don’t seem to know this important New York state law: When the cars have a green light at an intersection, they have the right of way, not anyone who decides then to use the crosswalk. On crosswalks with no signal, on Rugar Street for example, pedestrians have the right of way. If they step into a crosswalk, cars have to stop. But that is not the case at intersections with lights. The intersections with the biggest issues (and we write about this almost every year, to no avail) are Beekman-Broad and Draper-Broad. Those intersections have actual pedestrian signal lights to say when you may go (flashing walking person) and when you have to wait (flashing red person). The city even upgraded to those new audio signals that beep when you can walk. But somehow, many students still try to cross when the light is green for oncoming traffic, as if they have special crosswalk immunity. Maybe it’s the cell phones and iPods at their ears that are distracting them, but we hope they get the message. It’s not just the irritation to local drivers: The far more important issue is that one of these pedestrians could get hurt or killed by challenging a ton on wheels out of ignorance of the law.
— If you have a Cheers and Jeers suggestion that you want the Editorial Board to consider, email it to Editor Lois Clermont at letters@pressrepublican.com.
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