Is the idea of Estuary Park still alive?
Planning Board President Marie Gilmore concluded the April 22nd meeting, responding to developers who want to build high density housing projects there, by saying:
...My personal preference would be for an active park along the water. Realities, unfortunately, intrude. The other thing I would say about both of these conceptual ideas [presented by Bay Rock and the developer for Collins], I’m really not happy with the access to the waterfront. And both of those proposed communities look like enclaves. In other words, there’s no reason to go there unless you live there or unless you know somebody there. And we’ve had many discussions here and in other forums in town about these sort of walled communities. I mean, there are no walls being proposed, but the effect is the same sort of thing. There’s no reason to go there unless you live there.
So I don’t like the access to either proposed housing development. I don’t like the access to the shoreline because I don’t think it’s very inviting for people in the neighborhood. And I would want whatever park gets developed to be accessible not only to the residents of these new developments, but also to the rest of the neighborhood, and to the rest of the City. ...be cooperative here. And I understand you’re in business to make a profit, no one doubts that, but at the end of the day I would think you would want to build a project that, not only are you proud of, but that works for the people that live there, that makes them feel like they’re part of the larger community. And that means you’ve got to do a better job integrating those neighborhoods, those properties into the larger community. And I know that it can be done.
Planning
Board President Gilmore
Planning Board meeting, 22 April 2002