2026-10-21 - Common Council Joint Parks and Recreation and Public Safety Committee

01:59Mhm.

03:54>> Mhm.

04:06>> I know, but I couldn't

04:09>> Two of us?

04:11>> We'll see you then.

04:12>> I think

04:13>> I'm sorry.

04:15>> Yeah, I'm sorry.

04:18>> Two.

04:19>> Okay, thanks.

04:29>> Were you

04:30>> Oh my

04:31god.

04:34>> Yeah, yeah.

04:37>> I'm here.

04:38>> They can't push that that way.

04:40>> No, I'm good.

04:48>> You got another water in that bag?

04:50>> I'm going to have mine in the car.

04:54>> Leticia?

04:55>> What?

04:56>> I saw Felicia.

04:57>> Oh yeah, you can see her.

04:58>> hello to you.

05:00>> Speaking of

05:01>> I was in the drunk store.

05:02She said

05:04>> I said hello.

05:06I said

05:19>> Donna's running a couple minutes late,

05:21so we're just Donna's running a couple

05:22minutes late, so we're just going to

05:24She'll be here in a minute.

05:31>> Coach Chip Kelly.

05:32>> And you're able to reach them?

05:33>> No, [clears throat] no.

05:35>> She asked

05:36We're just waiting two minutes and then

05:37we'll go.

05:38>> You want to do what you said?

05:39>> Or we already waited two minutes.

05:41>> You wait.

05:48>> 5:35.

05:57>> I used to work with him.

06:01Right there.

06:02>> [laughter]

06:04>> My unit is there.

06:09There are a lot of people in the United

06:10Way.

06:11That changed the hands.

06:16Yeah, that's right.

06:17Conner.

06:18Mhm, cuz they took the food.

06:33>> They don't know.

06:35>> Good morning.

06:36>> Huh?

06:38I had to go up to the walking clinic.

07:01>> Okay.

07:02Uh Counselor Morris should be joining us

07:04in just a minute or two, but we're going

07:06to kick off the meeting so we can get

07:07some introductions underway and start

07:10our presentations from city staff.

07:12I am Counselor Hannah Eranreich. I am

07:14the committee chair for the Parks

07:16Committee. I'd like to introduce

07:18Counselor Caldwell.

07:20What's your name again?

07:21Counselor Montalto, Counselor Hudson,

07:24Counselor Nave, Counselor Majok,

07:26President Rita Paniagua, and then we

07:28have uh Deputy Chief Milano,

07:31Commissioner Bird, and what's your name

07:33again?

07:34It was funnier the first time around,

07:36sorry. Eric Ennis, chief strategy

07:38officer for the city of Syracuse. Did I

07:39get it right that time?

07:41>> Uh development, but in in the mayor's

07:42office. That's all.

07:43>> So close. Sorry.

07:44>> That's fine.

07:45>> Um I do also want to just introduce our

07:47uh our structure for this evening. Uh

07:50city staff are going to start with a

07:52presentation about the project and where

07:54it started, where it's going, where is

07:56it now? Um we are then going to have

07:59questions from uh counselors who are

08:02assembled here. Uh and then we will be

08:04opening the floor to discussion. You

08:06will have 2 minutes to talk.

08:09Um and we will be giving you signs when

08:13your time is up. All right? If you have

08:15more to say after that, you are welcome

08:17to cycle back at the end after everyone

08:19has had a chance to speak. In terms of

08:22things uh the visual facilitation.

08:25If there is something that you hear

08:26somebody say up here or in the audience

08:30that you agree with, that you love, that

08:33you absolutely want to see in Syracuse.

08:34Donna, you're over here.

08:35>> Oh.

08:36Sorry.

08:37Sorry.

08:38>> Councilor Morris joined the meeting.

08:40That you love, that you want to see in

08:41Syracuse.

08:43Some jazz hands, okay? Right up here.

08:45Nice and tall and prominent.

08:47If you hear something that you generally

08:49agree with,

08:50thumbs up. Goes a long way. All right?

08:52You can do double thumbs up. Not

08:54restricting anybody.

08:55If you hear something that you

08:56absolutely disagree with, no no holds

08:59barred, thumbs down.

09:01Okay?

09:02And if you feel like we've made the

09:04point and we can move on, just a gentle

09:09We will do the same very respectfully.

09:12Is that okay?

09:13>> Give me a thumbs up just a new process

09:15that

09:15we're trying to create here.

09:17>> Uh not officially. These are just the

09:20visual facilitation techniques that seem

09:22to work for me in terms of meeting

09:23facilitation.

09:24>> Okay.

09:26>> It also helps because then people don't

09:28have to stand up and repeat something

09:30that somebody else has said. If you like

09:32it, it's right here. We've we've heard

09:35it and we can see that it's something

09:37that is echoed.

09:39>> All right, so Councillor Morris here.

09:41Meeting has just started.

09:43>> [laughter]

09:43>> Sorry I'm late.

09:44>> [snorts]

09:46>> And Eric, go ahead.

09:47>> Yeah, just well, good evening counselors

09:50and just want to say thank you for this

09:52opportunity and the opportunity to

09:53present, talk about the project and also

09:56thank you all for for being here and

09:58attending as well.

09:59So Eric Enison in the mayor's office

10:01joined here as well by Saisha Byrd, our

10:03Commissioner of Parks, as well as Chief

10:05Minor

10:06from Syracuse Police. Just briefly, I'm

10:08going to give a high-level overview and

10:09then really turn it over to my

10:11colleagues, but really just want to note

10:13that we recognize there's been an

10:14extensive amount of community dialogue

10:16that has been had around the pump track

10:18itself and also as the the new facility,

10:22the new public safety building as we

10:23have been really taking a close look and

10:25really doing a careful analysis around

10:28the the parking that is necessary as

10:30part of the operations of that facility

10:32and ultimately the the broader impact on

10:36the the broader neighborhood as a whole.

10:38I think one of the things I just want to

10:39point out is that there is an extensive

10:42amount

10:43of

10:44thoughtful and careful dialogue that is

10:46had both internally amongst the

10:47departments that have been a part of

10:49this process to look at that but then

10:50also externally

10:52with various stakeholders and

10:54understanding again that the the pump

10:55track itself is something that is a

10:56project that a number of people were

10:58involved with. So our goal and our

11:00intent tonight is that what we want to

11:02really be able to do is talk through the

11:03proposed plan, be able to answer

11:05questions, hear feedback and and

11:07dialogue. But that plan would include an

11:11establishment of a new pump track that

11:13would include a modern pump track as

11:14well as one that would be fully

11:15maintained, would be under the

11:17responsibility of the city. That is that

11:19the funds for such a new pump track that

11:21would be an amenity, an approved amenity

11:24is already within the city's capital

11:25plan. Those funds have already been

11:27appropriated and authorized. One of the

11:29other things too is that the intent of

11:31this and and the thought process behind

11:32it has been to complement what is a

11:34larger Westside Trail that is being

11:36planned and intended. The linkage of

11:39that is really intended to connect from

11:40downtown Syracuse into the Near Westside

11:42neighborhood and into neighborhoods

11:44further west including Tipperary Hill.

11:46>> Almost before we go any further in in

11:48slips my mind, you said it's been added

11:51into the capital project. What's the

11:52dollar amount of that?

11:54>> 300,000.

11:57>> So so 300,000 in case the mic didn't

11:59pick it up, but

11:59>> next year.

12:02>> It's in

12:04Ooh, I think it's next year's budget.

12:08>> Okay, thank you.

12:09>> already included [snorts] in the plan as

12:10part of being able to make that that

12:11capital project investment, which would

12:14be

12:15>> We have it

12:16We have it now. So it's in this year's,

12:18excuse me.

12:19>> This year?

12:20>> Mhm.

12:20>> Okay.

12:21>> Um but but yeah, so that being one of

12:23the parks capital projects that already

12:25that we have planned. Um

12:27it just as part of the Westside Trail

12:29that was a a study was undertaken by

12:31SMTC, the Syracuse Metropolitan

12:33Transportation Council, to really look

12:35at creating more connections on an

12:36east-west perspective and a Westside

12:38Trail was one of the heavy things that

12:40were considered as part of that plan.

12:42That pathway going through and being a

12:44part of Light bar Park. So the area and

12:46what we're going to talk about tonight

12:47with that proposal incorporates that

12:49Westside Trail traveling through as part

12:51of the overall project and the pump

12:54track location and and one of the things

12:56that we've been really considering would

12:57be the dimensions, the space which is

12:59available in there to be incorporated as

13:01part of the Light bar Park to overall

13:03complement a number of other investments

13:05that are happening.

13:06>> Eric, can I just have you reiterate that

13:07question so I make sure I understood it

13:08right. So this new track that you're

13:11planning is going to be incorporated

13:14into the existing trail the city already

13:15has.

13:16>> The trail way hasn't been established

13:18and built yet. The footprint of it has

13:20been identified. We're in the planning

13:21stages of what the final design looks

13:23like. The funding for the Westside Trail

13:25also has been secured. So in addition to

13:28the pump track, the funds for the

13:29Westside Trail have also been secured.

13:31>> Okay.

13:31>> But, things like lighting, things like

13:33the pathway of being able to incorporate

13:34the what was abandoned railroad bridge,

13:37the southern portion of that bridge,

13:39that is being incorporated as part of

13:40this plan. Also being incorporated as

13:42part of the improvements that we're

13:43talking about for the existing pump

13:45track location for parking, but also

13:47incorporating a new pump track.

13:48>> Okay.

13:49>> Um so, those the funds are there, but

13:50the planning and and [snorts] the final

13:52design is really what we've been

13:53continuing to work on work on advancing.

13:56>> Thank you.

13:57>> Um so, just briefly, uh one of the

13:59things to note is that this area that we

14:01are talking about has undergone a

14:02tremendous amount of change. And we know

14:04that there are pioneers and people that

14:05have been a part of adapting and

14:07converting buildings within this block.

14:09Uh and we recognize that there has been

14:11also additional complimentary

14:12development and investment. That

14:14includes the new public safety facility

14:15that was over a $30 million capital

14:17investment in upgrading what was a

14:19significantly dilapidated existing

14:22public safety structure. Um but, really

14:24the intent and design and thought behind

14:26that was to be an anchor for the

14:28surrounding area and for the larger

14:29Westside. Um in addition, there's 38 new

14:32condominiums that are now fully open.

14:34There is now home ownership

14:35opportunities on this stretch of of West

14:37Fayette Street. That was not uh just a

14:39few short years ago, that was not uh

14:42the the condominium and home ownership

14:44opportunity is a new one. And so, as

14:46we've looked at this, as we've looked at

14:47the ability to create on-street parking,

14:49that's a new amenity as well. There are

14:50a number of different things that the

14:52city has undertaken, but it's really

14:53intended to compliment the uh capital

14:55investment and private investment that

14:57is under uh been underway in this area.

14:59That also includes the Syracuse

15:00Developmental Center. That is as as the

15:02council is fully aware, $135 million

15:05project. We have 260 units now of uh

15:08various incomes under construction right

15:11now that only further leverages the

15:13entire area that we're talking about as

15:14part of that transformation. There's a

15:16number of other investments that we have

15:17here on the slide that the city parks

15:19department has been a a of and other

15:20upgrades. That includes um some of

15:22several playgrounds within the Westside

15:24neighborhood Skiddy Park. One of the

15:26things we also wanted to know is what

15:28the city has done around Lightbar Park

15:31and continue to do around Lightbar Park.

15:33So, I'll transition over to Commissioner

15:35Byrd.

15:35>> And some of those upgrades to Lightbar

15:37Park has been solar lighting, a

15:39pedestrian walkway,

15:42pathway restoration and ongoing

15:43maintenance, weeding, weed control.

15:47We provided tea panels and concrete

15:49pads. We will be providing three new

15:53sculpture pads so that we could add more

15:56art to to the art park,

15:58garden bed restoration,

16:01raised planter beds, and then a new

16:03flagpole.

16:05>> All right, Commissioner, thank you

16:06>> [clears throat]

16:07>> for that really quick. So,

16:09um

16:11I know you're a West Sider. You grew up

16:12on the West Side.

16:13>> I am a West Sider.

16:14>> [laughter]

16:15>> Um family ties.

16:16>> North Side now, but I grew up on the

16:18West and will always be West, right?

16:20>> Um have you had any conversation with

16:22anybody in that neighborhood and that

16:24footprint? You know, especially, you

16:26know,

16:27>> Um just kids at the Boys and Girls Club.

16:30You mean as far as pump track, would it

16:32be used, would they use it? Um first

16:35they have to have the equipments to use

16:37it, right? They've talked about RVs,

16:39little cars, remote control cars, but we

16:41got to ensure that our kids in the

16:42neighborhood have bikes to use it. Um

16:44and they're excited about

16:47the opportunity to use it um on a on a

16:50bigger scale.

16:52>> We this a lot of the information we're

16:54talking about this evening as well. We

16:55have presented to Westside TNT and had

16:57conversations with Westside TNT

16:59including the look potentially of what

17:01that pump track could look like as well.

17:03Um so, this is this is not a a new

17:05conversation about the the ability to

17:07incorporate that.

17:09>> And I I was at the you know, I have

17:10attended the Westside TNT meetings to

17:12talk about it.

17:14>> Yep.

17:15Next. Thank you, sir.

17:17>> So, this is the existing a photo of the

17:19existing condition of the the pump

17:21track. You know, I do give credit that

17:23community members came together to build

17:25this.

17:26This is is the current state. If you've

17:29never been able to see it or walk it or

17:31ride on it.

17:34Um

17:36In August of 2025, we started exploring

17:40locations and identifying parking needs.

17:44The design for this site

17:47started in spring of 2026.

17:50Public hearing and planning commission

17:51held a meeting on June 29th

17:54to talk about the pump track project.

17:57This project and and other projects that

17:59are included in Light Bar Park

18:02projects including fencing for security

18:05purposes, new lighting and pathway

18:07upgrades, design elements to complement

18:11the Westside Trail, and establish a new

18:14and modern pump track. So as Erica moves

18:17on to the next picture, this is the

18:19design that we have

18:22um

18:23we've been thinking about. We did

18:25present this to some of the members

18:28of the community to get their thoughts

18:30on the design.

18:33>> Let me ask you this question

18:34commissioner.

18:35>> Mhm.

18:36>> So [clears throat] when you talk about

18:38did you present it to some of the

18:39members? Did you present it to the

18:41existing members that had started the

18:44park?

18:44>> We did. Um there was two members that

18:48came to parks that we presented this

18:51model to.

18:52Mhm, this photo.

18:54>> And and then there is a a volunteer

18:56organization known as the stewards of

18:58Light Bar Park. So we have

18:59representatives that we have been in

19:01communication and had dialogue with. So

19:03that included the the ability to show

19:05the the actual conceptual plans that

19:07we're talking about but as well as

19:08talking about the fact that it is

19:10essentially based on the design you have

19:12here and that's West Fayette Street is

19:13to your left just to orient yourself.

19:15The railroad is to your right, but that

19:17is to be able to incorporate that as

19:19part of both the parking that's being

19:21proposed, approximately 72 spaces, but

19:23in addition to that, being able to have

19:25the dimensions and the configuration is

19:27there to build a modern, well-maintained

19:29pump track. And the city parks

19:31department

19:32Um the city parks department will then

19:34fully maintain, and they will be

19:35responsible for maintenance of the pump

19:37track when it's done.

19:38>> Currently, we are not.

19:39>> So, this I mean, based on the picture,

19:41right? So, this is pretty close to the

19:43track itself. Would there be Would there

19:46be anything there that prevent from,

19:48you know, people going too close to the

19:50tracks?

19:51>> So, there is There's fencing that

19:53delineate that that separates the rail

19:55itself. Yeah. So, so there And And

19:57that's been all part of our

19:58conversations with the railroad. I mean,

19:59as we've looked at both the leasing and

20:01then eventually being able to own this

20:02land, there is an area and a buffer from

20:05that rail. But, that's all This is all

20:06being accounted for as part of the

20:08design.

20:08>> Okay.

20:09>> And if memory serves me well, this is my

20:11last question, and I'll be quiet. But,

20:13if it was serves me well, when did you

20:16determine that it wasn't going to be

20:18just a temporary space?

20:21Because that's what we were told it was

20:23going to be temporary.

20:25>> So, when as we have looked at the that

20:28this is a as we go through the

20:30presentation, we will talk through

20:31There's a number of different locations

20:33where parking is being It's part of our

20:35a larger parking program. But, one of

20:37the things that we had talked about, and

20:39there had been a lot of conversations

20:40around the the public parking versus

20:43solely for city utilization or SPD. Uh

20:46so, a lot of the conversation and and

20:48even leading up until more recently, we

20:50know that one of the things the idea has

20:52been from several property owners and

20:53businesses in the community is the

20:55ability to provide more public parking.

20:57So, the conversation that we have had

20:58and we continued to consider as part of

21:00our analysis is where we have the

21:02ability to make public parking

21:03available, understanding and as I

21:05alluded to, there has been a lot of

21:07investment in this area, this stretch,

21:08and this corridor. It is There is a

21:11a number of different revitalization

21:12projects that have been underway.

21:14Um I point to the on-street parking, the

21:16parallel parking that's been made

21:17available. While during the workday, you

21:19will have people that are part of the

21:20public safety building using that

21:22building, on nights and weekends, those

21:24parking spaces are largely available for

21:27uh for more broadly the public, but also

21:28some of those buildings and some of the

21:30other economic development projects. So,

21:32some of that has been the temporary

21:33versus more uh permanent has really been

21:36around parking and making parking

21:38available not just for city utilization,

21:40but also for the public. And that is

21:42something we have had to look through as

21:44we have immediate needs for parking for

21:46the facility. We have some parking lots

21:48that have not yet been completed, and

21:49that's what some of the things we're

21:50going to talk through tonight. With

21:51that, when we talk about temporary

21:53versus more permanent, it it's really

21:55been the thought process about creating

21:56not just parking to service the public

21:58safety building, but where the public

22:00can benefit from parking as well.

22:04Okay.

22:05This is just a general question.

22:06>> that is secured for the whole Westside

22:08Trail project, how much

22:10how much is that? And where did it come

22:11from?

22:11>> So, we have uh there's been uh New York

22:13State support uh that is coming. I

22:15believe it's from DASNY, but I know that

22:17that was uh Assemblymember Rachel May,

22:19and that funding I think is a million

22:21dollars. That was part of a Crest grant.

22:23Um so, I don't I don't have the number

22:26right now off the top of my head around

22:27the total project itself, but it's over

22:29a million with the capital investment

22:30there. And the thing about the Westside

22:32Trail

22:33>> for the pump the new pump track?

22:34>> Correct. So, that's

22:35>> That's city that's our money.

22:36>> That's city funds being invested in

22:38that, yeah. So, that that 1 million I

22:39mentioned for the Westside Trail, the

22:41300,000 is then in addition to that. I

22:43think one of the other things, too, that

22:44we are are very much considering as part

22:46of the Westside Trail is solar lighting.

22:48So, there's already solar lighting

22:50that's been installed along uh within

22:53Light Bar Park. There will be additional

22:54solar lighting being installed as part

22:56of the pathway that would connect the

22:58pump track parking lot, but connecting

23:00it over to the public safety building.

23:02And that trail way, which is utilizing

23:04an old rail bridge, that will be

23:05available to the public. So, the public

23:07where upon completion, the public will

23:09be able to use that trail way, which

23:10will include new solar lighting to

23:12increase and enhance the overall

23:14lighting. Currently right now, because

23:16of the fact it is a long side railway,

23:18it is in the evenings, there's very

23:19little lighting whatsoever in that area.

23:21So, there's a a safety component as well

23:23that we're thinking about.

23:24>> I know I said one, but I got one more.

23:26>> Sure. It's okay, Council.

23:28>> What happens to what is it? Panchitos,

23:30what happens to their spot?

23:33Or are they affected?

23:34>> They have So, there is parking spaces

23:36already for Panchitos that they use, and

23:38that is separate property, that is

23:40private property, and not part of the

23:42the the rail property. So, they would

23:44continue to have parking spaces to

23:46service the business, the restaurant,

23:47and then there's apartments upstairs as

23:49well.

23:51>> I have a quick question, Eric.

23:52>> Sure.

23:53>> So, in terms of the business that came

23:54before the Council already, it's been

23:56two things. One has been the

23:57certification of a lease for a dollar of

24:00two different parcels from the railroad,

24:02one of which is this parcel, and the

24:03other one is across the Geddes Bridge,

24:06>> [clears throat]

24:06>> which there's also going to be turned

24:07into a parking lot for construction.

24:10>> Yep. Our intention would be we we call

24:12it the west of Geddes area, that

24:14terminology helps to explain it. But

24:15yeah, so one of the things that is being

24:17done right now as part of the Westside

24:18Trails, we're looking at the topographic

24:20conditions. One of the things is that

24:21area is, and I know there's a lot of

24:23people that are familiar with it, there

24:24is a grade, it's about 10, 12, 14 ft.

24:28So, one of the things we're working

24:29through is the geotechnical, the soil

24:32conditions, and the ability to establish

24:34parking there. And this is also been

24:36part of the public versus the private,

24:38and the ability that we want to utilize

24:40parking in that west of Geddes area. But

24:44there is a lot more information we're

24:45still collecting to be able to to

24:47incorporate parking there.

24:48>> And then the other business that came

24:49before the Council was also us signing

24:51off on a

24:53no more than $11,250

24:55$11,250 a year contract for a parking

24:59lot that already exists, which is just

25:01to the

25:02Let me get my directions right. East of

25:05the uh of Life Art Park.

25:07>> So, I think uh

25:08>> east

25:08>> south

25:09>> west, south, east

25:10>> Oh, I'm sorry. The space that you're

25:11talking about further

25:13>> space lot that is already in existence

25:15right next to Life Art Park. So, we are

25:17using that right now. We have a 1-year

25:19lease for that location.

25:20>> So, I I may jump to the because we

25:23actually have some visuals that can show

25:24the areas that we're talking about.

25:26Yeah, and and cuz there is an area we

25:27call Getis Plaza. That that's a retail

25:29plaza and that's

25:31>> West Fayette Street, if anyone wants to

25:32look on their phones.

25:38>> Yeah, the the Getis Plaza is what

25:40>> executed.

25:43I have it right here as concluded

25:45business.

25:47>> It was It was approved by the council.

25:49So, council, you are correct. Like, it

25:50was approved.

25:51>> approved.

25:51>> Ultimately, what that was being used was

25:53a if if ultimately if needed as part of

25:56a number of other

25:58um

25:58locations from a parking perspective.

26:00That location is further to the east.

26:02There was also going to be security

26:04enhancements and upgrades that would

26:05ultimately be needed there. So, those

26:06were some of the things that were being

26:07evaluated and considered as part of

26:09that. So, we did go before council to be

26:11able to essentially have that as a

26:13potential option. Um and I forget the

26:16exact date, but essentially yes, that

26:18was brought before council. It was

26:19authorized. There was a number of

26:20factors that were evaluated as part of

26:23that, which ultimately is not what why

26:25we did not proceed with executing that

26:27lease.

26:28>> Okay.

26:28>> Didn't we spend money to have that

26:30repaved and striped and everything?

26:32>> The Getis Plaza lot is maybe So, maybe

26:35that's

26:36>> next to Fowler High School.

26:37>> Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes, the the retail

26:38plaza. So, maybe um do you see Deputy

26:40Chief Balana? I'm going to turn it over

26:42to him and then we can go in through

26:43some of those locations.

26:46>> So,

26:47just for a little bit of a broad

26:48overview of the parking needs of the

26:49police and fire departments.

26:51Historically, the patrol division within

26:53the police department was always housed

26:55at the public safety building. You can

26:56see this historical photo here shows the

26:58north parking garage. That no longer

27:00exists. That's where the modern

27:01courthouse and the DA's office is. That

27:03was knocked down. And in 2003, we,

27:06because of that, had to move our patrol

27:08division out to Erie Boulevard.

27:10>> [clears throat]

27:10>> Our patrol division is approximately 2/3

27:12of the police department. So, 2/3 of our

27:14department is not located with the

27:16administrative headquarters of the

27:18department, which is not best practice.

27:19That's best practice to have them in the

27:21same house. So, with this new public

27:24safety building on West Fayette Street,

27:25that enabled us to finally bring them

27:27all under the same roof once again.

27:32This is an assessment of the parking

27:34needs to recreate all of the existing

27:36parking that we had at 1153 West Fayette

27:38Street and just how the breakdown works

27:40out to 451 spaces.

27:44>> How many do you have there now?

27:46>> Uh currently, with the pump track,

27:49[clears throat] it would get us to 453.

27:51So, it would accomplish our goal, but

27:53that is also using leased property in

27:55Gatos Plaza.

27:57So, in the short term, the pump track is

27:59our only avenue to accomplish that

28:01number.

28:01>> How many spots do you see coming from

28:03the pump track?

28:04>> The pump track is 72 parking spaces.

28:09Included Included in the presentation as

28:11well. It goes location by location by

28:13location and shows each one of those

28:14spots. But, sorry, counselor. I didn't

28:15>> I'll be quiet.

28:16>> No, that's that's okay. I just We don't

28:18want to cut you off. I just wanted to

28:19note that that information's coming.

28:27>> So, in our assessment of our parking

28:29needs, we quickly realized that there

28:30was not enough parking existing around

28:321153 West Fayette Street. So, a team

28:34across numerous city departments, the

28:36the mayor's office, there was community

28:37engagement, many people involved was put

28:39together in order to identify

28:41opportunities to create more parking.

28:44Engineering uh was heavily involved in

28:45this as well,

28:47letting us know which space which areas

28:49were conducive to parking lots as well

28:51and which ones were not based upon soil

28:53and topographic reasons.

28:57And this is just an overhead to kind of

28:59orient you and show you what exactly

29:01we're talking about here. So, you can

29:03see 1153 West Front Street right in the

29:05center of the photograph there. The

29:07parking lot that

29:08is part of that property as well is

29:10right next to it. And then the areas

29:12that we identified to improve and create

29:14more parking are the Magnolia parking

29:16lot, which is immediately to the west of

29:18the public safety building, the curb cut

29:20that Eric spoke about earlier directly

29:22across the street,

29:23the Harbor Brook area, which was a green

29:26space between the existing 1153 parking

29:28lot and the Fowler parking lot, which is

29:30currently under construction as well,

29:32the Gaddis Plaza, where we have leased

29:34leased spaces currently, and then up in

29:36the top right of the graphic, the pump

29:38track.

29:39Now, numerous other places were

29:40considered as well. Uh any and every

29:42space within reasonable distance of the

29:45public safety building was explored, and

29:47these were the areas that were feasible.

29:50>> How much is it going to cost to develop

29:52the pump track space into a parking lot?

29:56>> We do not have an engineer's estimate

29:58just yet. That is forth It's coming very

30:00quickly. Uh I don't know if you have

30:02>> One of the One of the things that will

30:03be done is that it would be put out to

30:05bid, and then the bid would ultimately

30:06help inform the final cost associated

30:08with that. So, that design we have We do

30:10have the design and the site plan, and

30:12again, that's been approved by the

30:13planning commission, but it really will

30:14be once it goes out to bid and bid

30:16competitively in order to be able to do

30:18it as effectively and efficiently as

30:20possible.

30:21>> One of the determinants that you have

30:23said for this site is that it is the

30:25least cost-effective It is the most the

30:27least costly option.

30:29>> Yep.

30:30>> So, we We don't know how much it's going

30:31to cost.

30:33>> I think that some of the numbers There

30:35There is preliminary numbers that we can

30:37present that are based on conceptual,

30:39but one of the things that we certainly

30:41as well knowing that there will be a

30:42bidding process is that we want to make

30:44sure that that is competitively bid and

30:45that we are able to go with the lowest

30:47bidder as part of that process. Um

30:50>> We love bidding processes.

30:51>> Yes, we do.

30:52>> But we also really love recreation use

30:54and putting a parking lot in the middle

30:55of this one would really stymie that

30:57recreation use. So I do want to make

30:59sure that we are making sure we're

31:01hitting all of our priorities in terms

31:02of the sighting of this.

31:03>> Sure. I think some of the um I know this

31:06conversation will will continue as as we

31:08go through this. Um we recognize that as

31:11part of the Westside Trail, just going

31:13back to the Westside Trail, that is land

31:15that is owned right now by the railroad

31:17but that we've been able to have really

31:18productive conversations around leasing

31:20and then eventually owning that space.

31:22So part of the other conversation that

31:23we've had is that the ability for the

31:26parking to ultimately be future under

31:28city control for the long term and then

31:31also as we look at and and consider the

31:33future of like our park, the long-term

31:36ability to have a newly modernized pump

31:39track but one that is maintained and

31:41managed under parks. And so I think the

31:43combination of the Westside Trail, you

31:45will already have cyclists and

31:47pedestrians that will now have the

31:48ability to connect safely from downtown

31:50Syracuse into the Near Westside into Tip

31:52Hill. So the complimentary nature of

31:54that as well for cyclists, fat tire

31:56bikes to be able to use the pump track

31:59as well right alongside that trail.

32:01>> Sorry, you think we can get like a

32:03little

32:04hub

32:05and put it there with people coming in

32:08>> They can't hear you. So the question was

32:10um

32:11could we put a hub or a sent a shed to

32:15so that folks that don't have access to

32:18bikes have access bikes, skateboards.

32:21Yes, I mean that's something we I mean

32:23we thought, you know, as Commissioner of

32:25Parks, I fully support recreation.

32:28Right? We want to provide opportunities

32:30for all to use something like a new pump

32:33track. So

32:34>> Why? Cuz we are talking about on west

32:35side of the Sear's building, and there

32:37is several schools over there from

32:39Seymour to Blodgett within walking

32:41distance. And if we could create an

32:43opportunity for our young people to use

32:46and their families to use it. So, as

32:48we're creating whatever direction we're

32:49going into making

32:52the park beautification, let's make it

32:54where everybody can use it. And so,

32:57creating avenues like we do on like

32:58we're trying to do at the state.

33:01>> Mr. Anderson, before you move on, you

33:04said the conception when she asked you

33:06about bid, you said it had to go out

33:08RFP. I understand that, but you said

33:10conception.

33:12So, what's

33:16>> Yeah. I think and I think your your

33:18question, counselor, was really around

33:19the the the costs and the numbers behind

33:22that. And I think part of that is is the

33:24preliminary that there are initial

33:26numbers of what we anticipate and what

33:28we think. Um but part of it is that in

33:30order to be able to definitively know

33:32for sure, that that's why the going out

33:34to bid allows us to be able to confirm

33:35and verify what that number is. So, um

33:38that that is information that we can go

33:40back and make sure that we share what

33:42what some of those preliminary numbers

33:43are. But part of it is that the purpose

33:45of going out competitively to bid, it it

33:47just it just helps to make sure that we

33:49are minimizing that cost.

33:52>> So, we have dramatically interrupted

33:53your presentation several times. Would

33:55you like to resume so we can get these

33:56people out of here?

33:56>> I and I think that gets us to some of

33:58the locations here. So, I'll turn it

33:59back over to to the deputy chief.

34:01>> So, this will break down those locations

34:02more specifically. So, we entered into a

34:03lease with 220 South Gadsden Street for

34:06spaces within their lot. We did invest

34:09in resurfacing and painting those

34:10spaces, and we were able to get 85

34:12parking spaces out of that location.

34:15In the 1153 proper lot, there are 132

34:19parking spaces. Again, those two are

34:21leased. So, those are not city owned.

34:23Those are not

34:25Well, 1153 has a long-term lease, but

34:27the Gadsden Plaza is a 2-year lease with

34:28a 2-year option to renew.

34:31So, not a permanent plan. The Magnolia

34:33lot, which is almost done with

34:35construction, it needs a couple more

34:36weeks, that will add 107 spaces to our

34:38overall number.

34:42>> And why is the Magnolia not lot not

34:43being considered as your secure parking?

34:46>> It is.

34:46>> It is. So it will also be gated with

34:48lights.

34:50>> Yes.

34:50>> Okay.

34:52And you have 107 spots there.

34:53>> Correct.

34:55And then the Harbor Brook lot, which is

34:57also currently under construction and

34:58should be completed within the next 3

34:59weeks, that will be constructed as part

35:03of the 1153 lot. The access will come

35:05out of 1153 itself, and that adds 33

35:07spaces.

35:09The right-of-way that we constructed

35:10over the summertime added 23 spaces to

35:13West Fayette Street, which as Eric

35:15mentioned are available to the public as

35:16well.

35:17And then the pump track itself, as we

35:18mentioned earlier, adds 72 spaces.

35:21And that's how the total of 453 is

35:23reached.

35:29>> Is there a

35:30>> timeline on the pump track parking lot

35:32itself, uh, and how we arrived here

35:33today. Construction on the new public

35:35safety building occurred between

35:37December 2024 and March of 2026.

35:40In December of 2025 is when the council

35:42approved the city entering into a lease

35:44with the railroad in order to pursue a

35:46parking lot in this location.

35:48Uh, in January was when we obtained the

35:50Gatos Plaza lease that we are currently

35:52using to supplement our parking needs.

35:55In February of 2026, funds from

35:57engineering and design were approved,

35:59uh, for the design and layout of the

36:02pump track. Uh, CHA was the company

36:04doing that work, and throughout the

36:06winter and spring of 2026, and really

36:07ongoing, we've been working on the

36:09design with them.

36:11In June of this year, there was a public

36:12hearing with the city planning

36:13commission to approve the parking lot

36:15design.

36:16And in July of 2026, funds were approved

36:19by the common council to construct a new

36:20pump track.

36:22>> Can I just ask everybody with a show of

36:24thumbs up or thumbs down if you knew

36:25about the public hearing as part of the

36:27planning process. Thumbs up if you did,

36:29thumbs down if you didn't.

36:31Thank you very much.

36:33>> Um quick question.

36:35Erie place, we got a email from the

36:38owner of that building who was willing

36:40to lease that. We did we look at that

36:42and just why did we decide that was not

36:44going to work?

36:45>> Is that the 500 block of West Fayette

36:46Street?

36:47>> yes, the 225 spots.

36:49>> So, when we did a parking assessment a

36:51year ago in September of 2025, we

36:53realized that we were well over 200

36:55parking spaces shy of what we needed.

36:57So, we were entering into any agreement

36:59that we possibly could to secure

37:01parking. So, that is far too far away

37:03from the public safety building. It's

37:05almost 3/4 of a mile. We were if we did

37:07have to use that lot, we were working

37:09out a very complex shuttle system that

37:11would have to run nearly 24 hours a day

37:13to complement the 24-hour operations

37:15that are housed within the building. Uh

37:17and we were able to find these parking

37:19options that we've outlined here

37:21much, much closer and much more feasible

37:22than using that. That was secured as a

37:25stopgap in case we weren't able to find

37:26any other parking, but fortunately we

37:28were.

37:29>> And let me ask you this question.

37:30There's a building right behind the new

37:34public safety building

37:36and I knew it had I don't know if it's

37:37still for sale, but it had been for sale

37:39for years.

37:41So, was there not a way that maybe we

37:43could have looked at that building

37:45and been able to take it down and and do

37:48parking there?

37:49>> Is it a Is it a property on the same

37:51side of the street on Fayette?

37:53>> I think it's on Magnolia.

37:54I think I think it's on Magnolia.

37:56On the other side.

37:57>> Okay.

37:59Wha- one of the things that was done was

38:00we worked with the Department of

38:01Assessment to be able to look at and

38:03take stock of surrounding locations. I

38:05think that um I I can't speak

38:09can't speak to the exact building that

38:10you're talking about. So, I'm sorry. I

38:11think

38:12>> Okay. Um the the some of the factors

38:15that were also looked at and considered

38:16was overall did it have the space and

38:18the configuration to be able to meet the

38:20number spaces that we were again, I know

38:22we we had that number as an earlier

38:24slide around that 451 number. I think

38:26the other thing that we were looking at

38:27and examining was then cost and

38:29ultimately cost of either acquisition,

38:31considering leasing versus acquisition,

38:33and ultimately one of the things that we

38:36are are from our perspective in looking

38:38at is that this is already the city will

38:42be seeking to undertake and acquire the

38:44land from the railroad for the Westside

38:46Trail. As part of that conversation, the

38:48railroad has fully signaled their

38:49willingness to part ways with the

38:51additional land where the pump track is,

38:53too. So, the ability to have the land

38:55for those necessary 72 spaces already is

38:58part of real estate acquisition because

39:00of the Westside Trail and the ability to

39:02still have a new modern pump track all

39:06in the same

39:07area that we are talking about to be

39:09able to achieve those different goals.

39:11So, that was ultimately from a from a

39:13cost perspective and the ability to

39:15achieve these goals that we're talking

39:16about that ultimately this has been the

39:18the most preferred plan.

39:20>> And I was just wondering because it

39:21would have been an easier to me it would

39:22have been an easier walk for the police

39:25officers because it was right across the

39:28street, right behind the building.

39:30>> Okay.

39:31>> Mr. Ennis, so

39:33are you saying the uh

39:37the rails are going to be removed?

39:41So, the trains?

39:42>> There are the functional rail that

39:44exists today will continue to still

39:46operate. What it what is happening is

39:48that there is right now a very sizable

39:50portion of land that is owned by the New

39:52York Susquehanna and Western Railroad,

39:54but there is the area that's southern

39:56most. So, if I could maybe actually

39:58counselor, I can go back to the the map

40:00because if you follow my cursor, this

40:03area here there's active rail here.

40:05There is you you've may have driven

40:07under this or walked under this

40:08countless times. That is that is a

40:10abandoned rail bridge that is no longer

40:12active for rail. So, what we are talking

40:14about is this area where the pump track

40:16footprint is,

40:18uh and and alongside Light Bar Park in

40:20this area here near the Pancheros

40:21restaurant, that is land that the

40:23railroad has said they are willing to

40:25part ways with as part of an

40:27acquisition. So, that's the area

40:28basically 20 ft south of the rail. That

40:31>> So, they're going to part with that? But

40:34are there trains I

40:36Is there a train

40:36>> That area that we're talking about there

40:38is not active rail.

40:39>> Okay. So,

40:40if we're looking at that, if the bridge

40:43is unused, what are the uh prospect of

40:46removing that bridge?

40:48>> So, the bridge is actually a part of the

40:50Westside Trail, and so that actually is

40:52part of the recreationable recreational

40:54area.

40:54>> walking over it now?

40:55>> Yes. So, that was the thought. And that

40:56was the thought. And that will include

40:57new solar lighting, and that will

40:59include that pathway, and that pathway

41:00will be open and available for the

41:02public to use.

41:03>> Okay.

41:04>> Um another question, you and I have

41:05talked about this, Eric.

41:07There's an uh

41:08I think it used to be a used car sales

41:10place right on Erie and Geddes.

41:13And it's a band I mean, it's

41:15>> for sale.

41:15>> Sure.

41:16>> Um I know they're asking like 1.2

41:18million, but when I think about building

41:20a whole new parking lot when this

41:21already has blacktop, it's probably

41:23going to cost us more than 1.2 million.

41:25Where this one we could probably just

41:26top coat it

41:28and pay the 1.2 and whatever it cost top

41:30coat it and and then put a fence up.

41:33It just seems to me like that would be a

41:35least expensive option, and it would

41:38really only require the police to go

41:39over the bridge to that place.

41:42So, it's really not longer of a walk.

41:45>> So, we did we did assess that location

41:47that you were talking about, counselor.

41:49I think there was several things. The

41:50the acquisition cost is one of the

41:52factors. Uh in addition to that,

41:55the

41:56the ability to I understand what you're

41:58saying about the blacktop. I think what

42:00we were looking at was the cost to

42:01undertake the acquisition and the

42:03improvement ultimately to make that a

42:04viable parking area. Uh

42:07our our feeling and ultimately the the

42:09position that we have is that it is more

42:11viable and it is a better utilization of

42:13the pump track footprint. Part of the

42:15other thought process here, too, is with

42:17that location that we're talking about,

42:19that area has frontage on a heavily

42:21trafficked business corridor on Erie

42:23Boulevard. The area that we're talking

42:24about with the pump track is more set

42:26back.

42:27Um and so part of it, too, is that I

42:29think as we envision what the future of

42:30Erie Boulevard West looks like, it would

42:32be to have a building or a development

42:34to be part of that project and that land

42:36is part of that. So, I think if that's

42:38part of the long-term thinking that

42:39we're having here, too, is

42:41part of the acquisition, the ability to

42:43have that railroad controlled land is um

42:46it is a more viable path as opposed to

42:49what ultimately we hope will be a

42:50building that will be a part of that

42:52Erie Boulevard, a revitalized Erie

42:53Boulevard.

42:55>> Okay.

42:56Do other councilors have questions?

42:59>> I have just one quick question.

43:00If and when, you know, the construction

43:03of the new parking lot does happen,

43:05would we still be doing rentals

43:07like at Geddes

43:09and West and you know, with the 53 West

43:11Street, or do we do away with

43:14>> So, one of the I'm going to maybe I'll

43:15go first, but uh Deputy Chief, one of

43:17the areas that we are closely looking at

43:20is this what I've called the West of

43:21Geddes area, uh Council President. So,

43:23that West of Geddes area would have the

43:25ability

43:26uh

43:27overcoming again that some of the

43:28topographic and the geotechnical um

43:31pieces of information is to be able to

43:33add dozens of additional parking spaces

43:35in that land there. That the ability to

43:38create parking in that location would

43:40have the ability to then step back from

43:42some of these spaces that we're leasing,

43:44but Chief, I don't know if you want to

43:45add anything else.

43:46>> Nope, that's exactly accurate.

43:48>> Chief, I have one question for you.

43:49>> Yes.

43:50>> What are the weekly physical

43:52requirements for our officers?

43:55In terms of physical fitness,

43:56specifically running.

44:00>> Uh I don't know that I have a specific

44:01standard to reference, uh but in order

44:03[clears throat] to be a police officer,

44:04you have to be of reasonable physical

44:05fitness.

44:06>> Would a 3/4 of a mile jog on a regular

44:09basis be helpful to that?

44:11>> Well,

44:13not only the the physical requirements

44:16of traveling that far, but it's also the

44:18sensitive equipment that we have. So, if

44:20we have a officers traveling with

44:22firearms or other very sensitive stuff

44:24that the public's not allowed to

44:26possess, uh that opens that up to

44:29risk to that equipment. Also, if we're

44:31parking police cars that have modems and

44:34and computers in them that have access

44:35to all of our data, that have access to

44:37criminal records,

44:39and we put them significantly farther

44:40away from where we have a reasonable

44:42ability to to monitor them, to see them

44:44other than remotely, that creates a

44:46cybersecurity risk as well. It's also in

44:49the PBA's collective bargaining

44:50agreement that we have to provide them

44:52with on-site parking for the for

44:55for work. So, I think it would raise an

44:57issue with the collective bargaining

44:58agreement, as well. So, it's not just

45:00the physical fitness aspect of it.

45:03>> So, on-site is

45:05Gettysburg,

45:07too, right?

45:09>> I think that's open to interpretation,

45:10but as close as we can get them to the

45:12site for all of those reasons, not just

45:14to to satisfy the collective bargaining

45:16agreement, but also for cybersecurity,

45:18for physical security, um

45:20you know, for for the the wellness of

45:21our officers, for the wellness of their

45:23vehicles, as well. Cuz it is also a

45:24consideration that uh police officers

45:27commonly are targeted because of the job

45:29that they hold. So, we have to make sure

45:31that their vehicles are in a position

45:33where they're safe, and they can

45:34reasonably expect that there's some

45:35safety for their vehicles.

45:36>> I understand. But, we have 190 officers

45:39right now?

45:41190 officers 190 sworn or

45:43>> Three about 370 375.

45:46>> 375 out of the 451 spots that we're

45:50trying to develop?

45:51>> Well, it's the police and the fire

45:52department, and then civilian staff, uh

45:55all of the auxiliary vehicles that we

45:56have. So, multiple different categories.

45:59>> But, Chief, if I asked you how often the

46:02firefighters have to run

46:04per week, could you tell me?

46:10Okay. [laughter]

46:11So, if we So, I'm so sorry. I just

46:13wanted to disaggregate this. If we

46:16based on the collective bargaining

46:17agreement need to provide 371 spots,

46:21that is under the 351 spot category,

46:24which means that if I did my math right,

46:26which incidentally I've been doing

46:27fourth grade third grade math recently,

46:29so I'm not sure I'm doing this right at

46:31all. But, if we took out the 72 spots

46:34from this parking lot, we would have 381

46:36spots from our existing lots.

46:39So, if we took these out entirely, we

46:40would be able to satisfy the collective

46:42bargaining agreement provided the chief

46:44could give me a little bit of leeway

46:47on some of that as well.

46:49>> So,

46:50the police officers drive a personal

46:51vehicle to work and then get into a

46:53police car, so it's not just a

46:54one-for-one. So, that that inflates the

46:56number quite a bit. There's auxiliary

46:57vehicles, there's crime scene processing

46:59vans, there's tactical vehicles, uh

47:01there's additional vehicles that need to

47:03be parked. Um

47:05In addition to the police department,

47:06there's civilian staff. So, it's not

47:08just the 375 police officers. It's It's

47:11much larger than that 375 number.

47:13That's how we arrived at the 451

47:15[clears throat]

47:16needed spots.

47:17>> Plus, we do have the fire department

47:18there, too. I mean

47:19>> Exactly.

47:20>> The chief is there. How many How many

47:21spots do you use, Chief? The fire

47:23department.

47:25>> Well, when

47:26we when we did this plan, we requested

47:2836 spots.

47:29>> What did you

47:30>> Do you want me to

47:30>> just could you go to them? Thank you.

47:32>> Thank you. Sorry.

47:34>> I'm Michael Muns, the fire chief. So,

47:36when this plan was developed, we

47:38requested 36 spots. Currently, we have

47:4025 spots, so we're 11 short. Um and

47:43that's just for the people that work in

47:44our building. That doesn't count for

47:46when we have um meetings with our

47:48command staff or we're doing an

47:50orientation and having interviews and

47:52things like that. So, we're still short

47:54even with the 36 spots, but our plan was

47:57to have 36 spots right on the location

47:59and we're still short of that.

48:01>> Okay, thank you.

48:01>> Okay, you're welcome. The only other

48:02thing I just want to point out to is as

48:04we were evaluating looking at the Erie

48:07Erie Place Associates but that that 500

48:10Erie

48:11sorry 500 West Genesee Street. Part of

48:13it was based on the importance of making

48:15sure that officers are also arriving and

48:17showing up for roll call and I think one

48:19of the things that we've been thinking

48:19about is the distance the combination of

48:21how they're getting there

48:23shuttle walking or running. Some of the

48:26things too is that being able to make

48:27sure that the roll call and shifts are

48:29beginning.

48:30>> Sorry.

48:31>> Sorry.

48:32>> Not in the snow.

48:33>> But [laughter] but and I I think the

48:34biggest thing is just the the public

48:36safety aspect is a vital importance and

48:38that's a city-wide function. And so as

48:40we thought about as well the roll call

48:42and making sure that the ability we are

48:44centralizing and there's a lot of

48:45benefits and and public safety service

48:47agencies or public safety across the

48:48United States most law enforcement

48:50agencies have their roll call happening

48:52on site and the same place as the

48:54administrative headquarters for the last

48:5530 to 40 years in Syracuse that has not

48:58been the case. So that centralization is

49:00a vital importance but we just want to

49:01make sure that we are not having a

49:03situation where then deploy officers are

49:05not being deployed to be able to do and

49:07perform their jobs and making sure we're

49:09promoting public safety in the city of

49:10Syracuse.

49:12>> So one of the biggest concerns I've

49:14heard from a lot of the neighbors

49:16that have invested their time and stuff

49:18into this is there were a lot of

49:19promises made that were kept, okay? Um

49:23I'm just asking the question not taking

49:24a side here.

49:25Um

49:27So I guess

49:28when we're thinking about doing this,

49:30how are we going to make sure that what

49:32we're telling them now with the new pump

49:34track with the light park added, how are

49:36we going to assure them that those

49:38things are going to happen for them?

49:40Um and it's not going to be as they say

49:43another broken promise. So I just want

49:45to make sure that we can give them a

49:46certain assurance that what we're saying

49:48tonight is what we're going to do.

49:51Um and I did notice I didn't remember

49:52who it was from, but a teacher was

49:54thinking about getting a bicycle club

49:57together and wants to be able to use the

49:58pump track. So,

50:00I don't know. I think the design of this

50:01new pump track is pretty cool myself,

50:03but um, so I just want to ask that

50:05question.

50:06>> I mean, I would say I think one I

50:09invited um, friends of like two come to

50:12the to parks to talk about the pump

50:14track. That's one. Second, I was invited

50:16to um, Westside TNT to listen to talk to

50:19explain. Um, we secured the money. We

50:23made sure that we had the $300,000 to

50:25build this. We have the money ready to

50:27go. It's not a promise, the money's

50:29there. Um, I think everyone wants to see

50:32this project happen. They want to see

50:34the pump track happen. And so, my job is

50:37recreation. It's parks and recs. And so,

50:40I have a good team.

50:42I feel like I have a good relationship

50:44with with a lot of folks on the

50:45Westside.

50:46Um, I stand on my word.

50:49>> To put a finer point to it as well, just

50:51based on what the commissioner shared.

50:52It is not a matter of if the new pump

50:54track will be built, it's a matter of

50:55when. And just to speak to to your

50:59question, counselor.

51:00Um,

51:01there has been quite a bit of dialogue

51:03on this. And again, I mentioned both

51:04internally, but also externally. And I

51:07would say the vast majority of what we

51:09had been hearing was really around

51:10public parking and the ability to to

51:12have public parking be part of this

51:14improvement, not just private parking

51:16for SPD or for fire or for city

51:18operations. And so, that piece is

51:21something we continue to look at. I that

51:23is the vast majority. So, there's a

51:24planning commission that was already

51:25cited. There were two individuals who

51:27spoke at that public hearing that were

51:29representing and that had received

51:30likely a mailer notification.

51:32The conversation I went back and

51:34reviewed that again and looked at that

51:35recording. It is available. The the

51:38conversation was around parking. It was

51:40acknowledgement of the fact the pump

51:41track ultimately would be removed, but

51:43in the design was included. That was all

51:44part of that public hearing. It was the

51:46public parking component that continued

51:48to come up over and over again. I do

51:50cite the 22 to 23 parking spaces on

51:53Fayette as an example where the city

51:54invested. That was city dollars made

51:56available for that public parking

51:58nights, weekends, understanding during

51:59the work day it is used by by city

52:01operations. That piece is just that has

52:03been the vast majority of the dialogue

52:05that we have heard and whether it was

52:07the Westside TNT where this was

52:08presented or elsewhere, it has been more

52:10so about the public parking and ensuring

52:12public parking, less so the the loss of

52:15what right now is is a it's not a

52:18maintained pump track, but we want to be

52:20able to create a real asset and

52:21recreational destination.

52:23>> And Eric, I just I want to tell you that

52:25from what I heard and what we heard at

52:28the Westside the Parks Committee meeting

52:30in July on the Westside pump track was

52:33not at all about that. We heard that

52:35there was a um there's already a pump

52:38track in Canastota that would blow this

52:40design out of the water. That there is a

52:41pump track in Buffalo that is that

52:44people drive 2 and 1/2 hours to go to.

52:47And that is the kind of recreational

52:48activity that people want in Syracuse.

52:50That they want the Westside pump track

52:52to go into a recreational zone that then

52:55travels into the Creekwalk in downtown

52:58in a way that brings people and

53:00recreation spotlighted here. And the

53:03most impactful um pushback that I

53:07received both in writing and directly to

53:10me from community members was that no

53:13landscape designer in their right mind

53:15would put a parking lot here if they

53:17have designed recreational activities to

53:19the north and to the south, to the east,

53:21and to the west. So, I very much

53:23appreciate you and I very much

53:24appreciate all of the work that has gone

53:27into making sure that our public safety

53:29officers and our firefighters have

53:31exactly what they need

53:33to be all on the same page, but we also

53:36need to make sure that we are on the

53:37same page for our recreation and our

53:39planning. And I don't believe that we

53:41are.

53:42I really appreciate Josh Wilcox for

53:44putting this design together. It is

53:46small. It is crammed in here and it's

53:48not going to do what we need it to do,

53:51which is focus a tremendous amount of

53:53attention on the ability of Syracuse to

53:57have a grade A pump track. So, I am very

54:00concerned about that. I do want to thank

54:01you and I don't want to leave it like

54:03that, but I do want to get these people

54:05to the mic. Is there anything else on

54:06the public side for the city staff in

54:08terms of the presentation that we needed

54:10to bring in?

54:12Any other questions from counselors?

54:14No? All right. We are Nathan's going to

54:16come up here with the signs. Also, thank

54:19you children for coming and being so

54:20patient. We have brought some c a n d y

54:23into the building and it's to the back.

54:25It's not just for kids, but please do

54:27help yourselves. Um Nathan is our

54:30timekeeper today and again, you'll have

54:332 minutes at the mic. Please introduce

54:35yourself and uh

54:37and and where you live, your address.

54:40And then we will give you a little flash

54:42when we need to cut you off.

54:44Whoever's up in the mic first, please

54:46join us.

54:49Come up to the mic, please. Sorry, I

54:51know that it's

54:53Do we have a square footage for the lot?

54:56Sorry.

54:58Hello. Michael Genovese,

55:00city of Syracuse resident.

55:03Um

55:05>> Breaking things already, Michael.

55:07>> [laughter]

55:08>> Somebody

55:09>> [clears throat]

55:11>> Sorry, bro.

55:13>> Okay. Well,

55:16all right. So,

55:19I'm a big fan of parks. I'm a big fan of

55:22getting people out into the spaces. I'm

55:24a big fan of getting people

55:26to do things.

55:28A big part of what this pump track is

55:30doing, what Life has been doing, what

55:31the Near West Side has been doing, is

55:33trying to establish a zone and a

55:35district for bringing people into the

55:37city. I love the city. I'm not from

55:39here, but I will go to the mat and I

55:42will fight for this city and I will

55:44fight for the public cuz I think the

55:45public needs something here. And what

55:47you're doing

55:49you're sidestepping the fact that this

55:50is essentially a

55:52property grab. This is an opportunity

55:54for the city to come in, grab a piece of

55:55property, put a lot in it, going to put

55:57a fence around it, going to lock it out.

55:59It's going to be for the police. That's

56:01fine. If that's what your plan is, then

56:04say that. If we're going to put a

56:05building in that spot, then let's say

56:08that.

56:09If you want us to be doing things, we

56:11need it for a long term. We need to make

56:13sure that this is happening for the

56:14future cuz I'm old, getting older, and

56:18there are children who are coming up who

56:20need something to do in this city. And

56:22when everybody is fleeing from the

56:23south, when everybody is coming to our

56:25wonderful city, they want to be in a

56:27nice, wonderful, warm town, they're

56:29going to need things to do.

56:32They're going to need This warm This

56:33warm is not always warm,

56:35but but this is a critical component is

56:37parks, it's recreation, it's getting

56:39people out. These are the things that

56:41can run through our city and that are

56:42going to bring people in. They're going

56:43to give them something to do.

56:45If people are active, they have positive

56:47environment, they have a community that

56:49is supportive, and that goes to the

56:51kids, that goes to the money, all that

56:53stuff comes together, maybe we don't

56:55need as many police. Maybe we don't need

56:57as many parking spaces to accommodate

56:59all of the needs of that aspect. So, if

57:02we can try to think about how we move

57:05this forward and think about how we can

57:07establish a longer run and a larger

57:10investment in our future,

57:12we need to go about doing that. But

57:15saying one thing, sliding the other way,

57:17we don't need that. We need to make sure

57:19that this is happening for the right

57:20people the right time.

57:22Thank you all. Appreciate it.

57:27>> Hello. My name is Randy Hadzor. I just

57:29wanted to kind of continue breaking the

57:31ice. Uh I am from here. I grew up on

57:33Getter Street. I taught after school at

57:35Delaware.

57:37Um it would break my heart when the kids

57:38like after even after the after school

57:40activities, they were like they wanted

57:42stuff to do. Um growing up I didn't like

57:45skate or bike. Um I was able to do

57:48endurance athletics and travel and see

57:50that all these other cities all over the

57:52West Ball all over the country, they

57:53have this thing called a pump track and

57:55it has this like magical place where

57:57people can come together and you can see

57:59a toddler and you can see an experienced

58:01dude like launching 20 ft in the air and

58:04everyone's like congratulating each

58:06other. They're building community. I've

58:07had that type of experience through

58:09endurance sports where I've I do my

58:11business and I and I've made networking

58:13opportunities and that's like

58:15life-changing stuff. I, you know, got my

58:17library card at Monday Branch Library. I

58:19went to Finney's Pet Supply growing up

58:21and I've seen that the neighborhood

58:23change. It's for good and for bad and um

58:26you know, it's our home and so what I

58:29felt like I was in a position to make a

58:31part to to I know these skilled people.

58:34I know these passionate people that come

58:36to this town and so for them to come

58:38here and donate their skills and donate

58:40their time, I really appreciate the work

58:42of Eric Ennis early on with Adaptive CNY

58:44and the city to make this pump track

58:46happen in the first place. I appreciate

58:48the commitment to the 300 grand to make

58:50it proper. We needed to cap that thing

58:52with asphalt 3 4 years ago because it's

58:55um you can't expect volunteers to

58:57maintain the thing of that size and

58:58that's been the plan from the start. So,

59:01I appreciate the commitment there. Where

59:03I have issue is um

59:06taking something that the community

59:08built for themselves to house

59:11cars while they're sitting. You saw

59:13those satellite imagery of how much

59:15parking is in that neighborhood? It's

59:16crazy. So, I don't know. I I understand

59:20you can hire engineers to think but like

59:22I didn't know about the Magnolia lot and

59:24there's a 100 plus lots uh spots there.

59:27Like I saw that you lost a parking

59:29garage. Can you go vertical? Can you

59:31stack your cars? Like, you guys have

59:33resources we do not. So,

59:35um

59:36I appreciate the support for the local

59:40um

59:41project and everybody's hard work. There

59:43are people who could not come out today

59:44because they are so uh they feel so

59:46disenfranchised that all their hard work

59:48is just going to get bulldozed and um

59:51there's a lot of skepticism about what's

59:52really going to happen, but I appreciate

59:54that you guys can figure out how to make

59:56it happen to meet the needs of law

59:59enforcement, to meet the needs of the

1:00:00neighborhood, and um

1:00:02I really urge you to not take that site

1:00:05because it means a lot to a lot of

1:00:06people.

1:00:08>> Thank you.

1:00:11>> [applause]

1:00:15>> Can you guys bring up that slide of the

1:00:17overhead where you guys were picking the

1:00:19parking?

1:00:20So, I can roughly get

1:00:22>> Right [clears throat] up, Tommy.

1:00:22>> Josh Josh, real quick. Josh Wilcox,

1:00:24remember I love you. Um

1:00:26>> And you

1:00:27>> So, this points out something really

1:00:28This is right here.

1:00:29>> Real quick. Oh, sorry. Yes, hello. My

1:00:30name is Tommy Lincoln. I made bullet

1:00:32points so I wouldn't stray. Thank you

1:00:33for reminding me. Uh hello. My name is

1:00:35Tommy Lincoln and I own a business on

1:00:36the near west side. Um back in February,

1:00:40this parking lot was first brought up in

1:00:41a TNT meeting where we discussed the new

1:00:44uh pump track that Josh spoke in the

1:00:46meeting that he only had 6 hours to

1:00:47throw together uh to come up with that

1:00:49design. So, um

1:00:51in that meeting, there was opposition to

1:00:54the new pump track because there was no

1:00:55community engagement on the new design

1:00:58and whether it was going to be it would

1:00:59be used for bicycles and whether it was

1:01:01going to be used for skateboards. There

1:01:02was a lot of questions around it, but

1:01:04the relief was that the parking lot that

1:01:06was going to be built was going to be

1:01:07common use, not just for

1:01:10uh emergency vehicles or city official

1:01:12vehicles. Um this was good because the

1:01:14new pump track is going to eliminate the

1:01:16old art park parking lot. So, you're

1:01:18getting rid of the art park parking lot

1:01:20and putting up a new parking lot that

1:01:21nobody can use other than city

1:01:23officials. So, now there's no parking

1:01:25for the art park or the new pump track.

1:01:27So, now you're going to scramble again

1:01:29at that point to find more parking. Now,

1:01:31I understand with new buildings that

1:01:32they need parking for her permits and

1:01:34whatnot. It's It's very shocking that it

1:01:36was decision was made before you had

1:01:38proper parking to put this giant

1:01:40emergency facility in a like you guys

1:01:42had mentioned a neighborhood. Um so,

1:01:46as I go down my bullet points, uh

1:01:47through the parking lot where you're

1:01:48putting it now, the exit is tough and

1:01:51you're going to be coming out of there

1:01:52with emergency vehicles trying to go

1:01:53left or right when there's already lines

1:01:55of cars lined up at that light. There's

1:01:58accidents that happen there all the

1:01:59time. Parking lots that were brought up

1:02:02as a 500 West Street, they have over 200

1:02:04lots have been empty for over 4 years.

1:02:06It's a 2 and 1/2 if that 2 and 1/2 block

1:02:09walk to the new station from that

1:02:11parking lot. There are people in the

1:02:13city that walk much farther, probably

1:02:15some of you, to your office.

1:02:17I understand the the issue about

1:02:18security, but if you cannot secure

1:02:20police vehicles within a block radius

1:02:22from where you plan to build this lot to

1:02:24another lot that already exists, then

1:02:26there's a problem with security within

1:02:28the department that needs to be

1:02:29addressed before you even go and build

1:02:31this lot.

1:02:32The other lot that's empty on the other

1:02:34side of Erie and Geddes is also a very

1:02:36large lot. I know this because my my

1:02:38cousin had an upholstery shop there for

1:02:41years that I would visit and it was an

1:02:42abandoned lot where there's vagrants,

1:02:45there's uh graffiti artists, there are

1:02:47broken cars. Now that all those cars are

1:02:50removed, there is a lot of uh larceny

1:02:52and other things that happen on that

1:02:54side of Erie where a new lot there could

1:02:57add a lot to the neighborhood and stop a

1:02:59lot of other

1:03:00uh issues that police have to deal with

1:03:02on that side of Erie.

1:03:04Um

1:03:05Those are the lots. You can see on this

1:03:06lot here,

1:03:08uh

1:03:12The Westrock building is not a full lot.

1:03:14It's never a full lot. It's at 50%

1:03:16capacity. I know this because I walked

1:03:18to Recess Coffee, which is much farther

1:03:20than 2 and 1/2 blocks from my office.

1:03:22This lot could also be leased.

1:03:25People could use this lot. There's so

1:03:27many lots in this neighborhood, and you

1:03:28want to build another one. As somebody

1:03:30who came up with Mr. Ennis in the group

1:03:32of people that helped make things happen

1:03:34in this city,

1:03:36I would think that people would know

1:03:37better than to eliminate a community

1:03:39project to put up a parking lot when you

1:03:41were trying to scramble for 72 spots.

1:03:45Thank you. I APPRECIATE IT.

1:03:49>> [applause]

1:03:52>> NEXT UP AT THE MIC.

1:03:55>> [clears throat]

1:03:58>> HELLO, MY NAME IS JASON FOWLER. I have

1:04:00my lifelong city resident. I've been

1:04:02voting every election every year since

1:04:042004.

1:04:07Um

1:04:08this was the pump track when we got to

1:04:10put in was a big deal to us. You know,

1:04:11I've been a

1:04:13biking my whole life since I was like,

1:04:15you know,

1:04:165 years old.

1:04:18Uh I remember when the county was

1:04:20planning the skate park that's out at

1:04:23Onondaga Lake Park and

1:04:25what a huge deal that was. We had so few

1:04:27skate parks in the area at the time.

1:04:30And the thing that no one's mentioned is

1:04:32the

1:04:33the pump track when it gets if we get a

1:04:36paved pump track in the city,

1:04:38it's not just bikes that can use it. Any

1:04:40wheels can use it. Bicycles, scooters,

1:04:43rollerblades, rollers skates,

1:04:46you know, little kids on their striders,

1:04:48like their their walking bikes.

1:04:51These are all things that would open up

1:04:54that

1:04:54we don't have a space for them. They're

1:04:56currently crowding in the places like

1:04:59Onondaga Lake Skate Park or up at um

1:05:03Eastwood's behind Huntington, which is

1:05:05another skate park, and there's people

1:05:06there doing much more dangerous things,

1:05:08and those are much more dangerous

1:05:12spots for that kind of activity because

1:05:14there's more risk of collision cuz

1:05:16there's people going every direction.

1:05:18There's

1:05:19drops, there's gaps, there's things like

1:05:21that that a pump track doesn't have.

1:05:23They're rolling features.

1:05:25You know, you can walk one and it's it's

1:05:27a good workout that way, too.

1:05:30Um

1:05:32I work for the state. I work at Upstate.

1:05:34I've

1:05:35seen

1:05:37how government never plans for their

1:05:39people to have enough parking my entire

1:05:41career there. I've been there since

1:05:422007.

1:05:44You know, we what is now the Nappi

1:05:47building was initially supposed to be a

1:05:48six-floor full block parking lot so they

1:05:51could close all our outer lots.

1:05:53Our people are bused in from Sam's Club

1:05:56every day. Two shifts.

1:05:59Third shift, they're able to put in the

1:06:01lot or the the garages. But

1:06:05have we thought about maybe having

1:06:07the non-emergency people, the you know,

1:06:09the civilian employees, them shuttled

1:06:11in. That would be a weekday only thing.

1:06:14For most of it. You know, that's an

1:06:16option.

1:06:18And we as the state have done that for

1:06:20our people.

1:06:22Thank you.

1:06:23>> Thank you.

1:06:23>> THANK YOU.

1:06:31>> HI, I'M SHAWN SEYMOUR. I'M A SMALL

1:06:33BUSINESS OWNER from Central Square.

1:06:35Uh me and my kids use the pump track.

1:06:37>> You can lift it up.

1:06:38>> Yeah, it goes right to you.

1:06:39>> There you go.

1:06:40>> Um I more had a few questions. Um how

1:06:42many shifts are there in the in the

1:06:45police office? Are all 375 people there

1:06:48at all times?

1:06:49>> Nope.

1:06:50>> So, there are three primary patrol

1:06:52shifts. There's a morning, afternoon,

1:06:53and overnight shift, but there are

1:06:55different details and different units

1:06:57that deploy all throughout the day. So,

1:06:59>> All right.

1:06:59>> there are people coming and going at all

1:07:01hours.

1:07:02>> Is there a 375 cop cars to go with 375

1:07:05cops?

1:07:06>> Uh we have more than that, actually.

1:07:07>> Yeah. Wow.

1:07:09All right.

1:07:10Um, I guess the last question would be,

1:07:12uh, I think that would be more of a you

1:07:13question. Uh, what would be the cost of,

1:07:16you know, finishing the existing pump

1:07:18track as opposed to $300,000 to

1:07:22start a new one, and where would it be?

1:07:25Where would the new pump track be if you

1:07:26guys built a new pump track?

1:07:29>> I um, life So, we we do not have the

1:07:32cost. I think part of it is that we are

1:07:34talking about something that was

1:07:35approximately 2020 when when that was

1:07:37installed. But, I think that there is a

1:07:38uh it is years of degradation that

1:07:40happened. I know a previous speaker had

1:07:42talked about the fact of in theory that

1:07:43should have been asphalted over um

1:07:45several years ago. So, I I think that

1:07:47the cost implications

1:07:50to preserve it would need to be

1:07:52confirmed before we even talk about the

1:07:53numbers. And I think the biggest thing

1:07:55to again is then the parking that we

1:07:57need to be able to allocate that that

1:07:59would have to come from a different

1:08:00location. So, that that's there there

1:08:02are a series of complexities that would

1:08:04make sort of preserving or adding

1:08:06asphalt, there still is the need to make

1:08:08sure that we can support our public

1:08:10safety needs as well.

1:08:11>> All right. Fair enough.

1:08:13Thank you.

1:08:13>> No, thank you for your questions.

1:08:18>> Don't be shy. You got one You got one

1:08:20that's for you.

1:08:22She was right there.

1:08:26>> Hi, Hillary Donohue. Um, I live on

1:08:28Otisco Street.

1:08:30Um, it's I've lived on the west side for

1:08:33a while now, 15 years. And I've watched

1:08:36a group of residents and artists and

1:08:38locals um establish this piece of land

1:08:42as a park. They've done so much just,

1:08:45you know,

1:08:46backbreaking labor um getting this

1:08:48established as Laip Art Park. Um, they

1:08:51overcame a major hurdle a couple years

1:08:53ago, I think, when they got the city to

1:08:56um take ownership of the park um and

1:08:59start maintaining it as a city park.

1:09:01Um, and it's hard to see the city now

1:09:04thinking of it as an asset that they can

1:09:06turn around and put a parking lot on um,

1:09:09where a park had already been

1:09:11established.

1:09:12Um, there are a ton of surface lots in

1:09:14the area which have been pointed out.

1:09:16Um, this is this intersection is a major

1:09:18connector, you know, it's part of a

1:09:20neighborhood. It's an edge, but it's a

1:09:21part of a neighborhood and it's a major

1:09:23connector between several neighborhoods.

1:09:25Um, and a gated parking lot is not

1:09:29something you see in a connector of

1:09:31several neighborhoods. Um, a park fits

1:09:34that need. Um, all right.

1:09:36Thank you. Thank you.

1:09:42>> If you could put the picture back up.

1:09:43Um, three things. One, whoever the

1:09:46architect was

1:09:47>> yourself, please.

1:09:48>> David Lacko.

1:09:49>> Thank you.

1:09:49>> I run Split Rock Cyclopaths. It's up

1:09:52near OCC. Uh, we got 30 acres of bicycle

1:09:55trails, 1,500 members. So, it's a huge

1:09:58community.

1:09:59But, whoever

1:10:00did the planning for the police building

1:10:02which is this

1:10:04Is this it?

1:10:05>> Yeah. That is correct.

1:10:06>> Whenever they have to do the planning,

1:10:08they have to plan for parking and it's

1:10:10known what you guys need.

1:10:12>> Agreed.

1:10:13So, that should have been in the plan to

1:10:15begin with.

1:10:16Um,

1:10:17number two is you you made the concern

1:10:19that there'll be police cars parked

1:10:21far away from where you guys are. You

1:10:23don't put the police cars there, you put

1:10:24the employees' cars there. The police

1:10:26cars get right near your building as

1:10:28best they can in this shared lot. So,

1:10:30that would be a smarter way to handle

1:10:32that.

1:10:33Um, third thing is uh,

1:10:35west of Geddes, like you said,

1:10:37who owns that and why can't that just be

1:10:40developed? That's double the size of the

1:10:41pump track for parking.

1:10:43>> So, that is part of the railroad

1:10:45property that we're talking about.

1:10:47>> get it for free?

1:10:49>> The this is all part of the discussion

1:10:51around both the the area to the opposite

1:10:53side, the east of Geddes, I I I can call

1:10:55it, and then the west of God is so

1:10:56that's all part of that conversation.

1:10:58The area where the pump track is is a

1:11:01much flatter area and you do not have

1:11:03the same grade change that I was

1:11:05referencing earlier around the

1:11:07>> But many parking lots have a go around

1:11:08in an upper lot and a third lot up and

1:11:10it's not that expensive.

1:11:13As Rick was saying, we don't need

1:11:14$300,000 to make this right.

1:11:16About 15 grand is all it is. You can use

1:11:18the rest of that money to do that

1:11:20parking lot. And not disturb anyone and

1:11:22it's right next to where he wants them.

1:11:24>> Sure.

1:11:25As we are continuing to look in the long

1:11:27term, the ability to include parking

1:11:29there is very much one of the things

1:11:31that we are looking at as part of this

1:11:32entire analysis.

1:11:33>> Kind of dealing with today and not

1:11:35tomorrow.

1:11:36And all of our community.

1:11:39There's probably

1:11:4110,000 bicycles here.

1:11:44So.

1:11:45Thank you.

1:11:46>> THANK YOU.

1:11:47>> [applause]

1:11:57>> HI. UM MY NAME IS MICHELLE MACIEJEWSKI.

1:11:59I'M actually the teacher that emailed

1:12:01you guys.

1:12:02>> Hi Michelle.

1:12:02>> Hi. Um so yeah, I teach high school at

1:12:06ITC which is right here downtown near

1:12:09the On Center and you know, part of my

1:12:13teaching career is trying to get more

1:12:15recreation opportunities, lifetime

1:12:16activities for our high school students

1:12:18that they can then go on to do once they

1:12:20leave school.

1:12:21And as we all know, like we all grew up

1:12:23riding bikes.

1:12:24Um it's not just recreation and also can

1:12:26be a source of transportation. It can be

1:12:28a source of inspiration for others. It

1:12:30can be something that you do as a

1:12:32career.

1:12:33And so

1:12:34one of the things that I'm doing right

1:12:35now is working with CNY West mountain

1:12:37biking team which is part of

1:12:40separate group that just came out of the

1:12:43CNY Sharks and it is a mountain biking

1:12:45team

1:12:46that rides and competes around the

1:12:48state. And when I started talking about

1:12:50that with my students

1:12:52um they all got really excited about

1:12:53this idea that oh my gosh, we could we

1:12:55could ride mountain bikes. Where are

1:12:56there spaces we can ride? And we're

1:12:58discovering, you know, uh through

1:12:59talking that there's places where you

1:13:01can ride in the Southside, right?

1:13:03There's um the rail track. Uh one of the

1:13:05places that I had told them about was

1:13:07this pump track. And it is so

1:13:09conveniently located for not only our

1:13:11school, but also Fowler, any other

1:13:12schools that may start to grab onto this

1:13:14idea that we're developing in our high

1:13:16school downtown. Um it is so accessible

1:13:18to us. So, I don't know where this

1:13:20proposed Westside trail would be um with

1:13:23the pump track, um but I just know that

1:13:25right now where it is, it's very much uh

1:13:27oriented to be in a good spot for us and

1:13:29for other high schools. Um another thing

1:13:31that I really like about this existing

1:13:33pump track is that it was developed by

1:13:34the people here. And uh somebody

1:13:36mentioned the uh the skate park at

1:13:39Onondaga Lake. I don't know if anybody's

1:13:41ever ridden that. Uh its design is eh.

1:13:45Right? I don't think that people from

1:13:46the community designed it, right? I

1:13:48think it was hired for an outside

1:13:49contract.

1:13:50And so, it's not really as ridable as

1:13:52people think. And unless you're somebody

1:13:54who rides bikes, who rides um

1:13:56uh skateboards, who was going to be

1:13:58using something like a pump track, you

1:14:00might not realize that. And so, to put

1:14:02this out to other people to develop is

1:14:05sort of questionable to me. Um but also,

1:14:07again, like I said, my main concern is

1:14:09just that I I really want our students

1:14:10to have this space available as we

1:14:12develop this new program and try to get

1:14:13more kids excited about bikes. Thank

1:14:15you.

1:14:17>> [applause]

1:14:23>> Uh

1:14:24What? Okay. My name is Shayel Patel. I'm

1:14:26opposed to parking lot in the planned

1:14:28location of the pump track. I live in

1:14:29downtown Syracuse, which already has

1:14:31nearly 28% of land dedicated to parking

1:14:33in some capacity. I do not think we need

1:14:36more parking, especially here, along

1:14:37with the 110 spots on Magnolia.

1:14:40Uh there's a surface existing parking

1:14:42lot already, as pointed out, at uh

1:14:44Geddes, across from Geddes, which could

1:14:46provide an additional 200 uh potentially

1:14:48more if it was taken for the secure

1:14:50parking required.

1:14:52Um the SMTC 2024 Westside Study

1:14:55recommends connecting Light Art Park,

1:14:57the pump track, and Panchinos, along

1:14:59with using the abandoned rail bridge to

1:15:00allow pedestrians and cyclists to avoid

1:15:03the Geddes West via intersection, which

1:15:05has had 114 car crashes and is a part of

1:15:08the corridor with 1,055 total crashes

1:15:10from 2013 to 2017. It has been

1:15:13identified for improvements as part of

1:15:14the city's pedestrian safety action plan

1:15:16phase two and as part of the New York

1:15:18State Pedestrian Safety Action Plan. A

1:15:20parking lot on the pump track at that

1:15:22location would undercut that work and

1:15:23block future improvements, I believe.

1:15:26There are plenty of other plans and

1:15:27studies like the Bicycle Plan 2040, the

1:15:30Sustainability Plan 2040, the Land Use

1:15:32and Development Plan 2040, which would

1:15:34all uh prioritize pedestrian and bicycle

1:15:37use and would advise against this

1:15:38parking lot. But regardless of the

1:15:40numbers of studies and plans that are

1:15:42done and ignored, I personally bike the

1:15:44West Sibley

1:15:45Street because it's the least dangerous

1:15:47east-west connection from downtown, and

1:15:49I still get nearly hit by cars every

1:15:52single time. And the sidewalks and bike

1:15:55lanes start and stop without reason.

1:15:57It's poorly lit. Intersections don't

1:15:58have signals, and it's this way because

1:16:00of poor planning from individual

1:16:02decisions that add up to the problems

1:16:04we're now dealing with. This is one of

1:16:06those decisions. In February, staff

1:16:08rejected another site for being too far

1:16:10away and not connecting to Westside

1:16:11Trail for a parking lot. But the

1:16:13existing lots are closer or closer than

1:16:14the pump track. And the pump track is

1:16:16the connection's own uh connection to

1:16:20the west uh trail that the city calls

1:16:22for. I'm asking for this community to

1:16:24require that those existing lots be

1:16:25evaluated publicly before the pump track

1:16:28is removed. The city has already removed

1:16:30has already written the plan for this

1:16:31neighborhood, and I believe they should

1:16:32follow it.

1:16:35Thank you.

1:16:38>> [applause]

1:16:45>> HI, I'M RYAN COHEN. I'M A VOLUNTEER

1:16:47TRAIL BUILDER.

1:16:48>> to you. What's your name? What's your

1:16:49name?

1:16:50>> Ryan Cohen, uh Fayetteville, New York.

1:16:53Uh volunteer trail builder. Um

1:16:55so, the biggest problem that I see is

1:16:58that there's a proposed parking lot

1:17:02over [snorts] a pump track. And what's

1:17:04being promised and is $300,000 is

1:17:06already allocated for this for a new

1:17:09proposed site. But you don't have the

1:17:10new site secured in any way right right

1:17:13now, right? Like there's no there's no

1:17:14lease, there's no sale agreement for the

1:17:16new new pump track site. So, there's

1:17:19nowhere for a new There's parking lot my

1:17:22like plus one parking lot minus one

1:17:24park. No no security whatsoever for a

1:17:28future site.

1:17:29>> The just uh to answer your question, the

1:17:31land that we're talking about where the

1:17:33pump track would go and and was part of

1:17:35that image is city owned and controlled.

1:17:38So, the light park park is owned by the

1:17:40city.

1:17:41>> So, when you're saying that there's an

1:17:42issue with you need to lease it from the

1:17:45the railway?

1:17:46>> For the West Side Trail, that is what

1:17:47it's right now.

1:17:49>> But isn't that connected to the greater

1:17:52plan?

1:17:53Like would you build the pump track

1:17:55without building the the pathway?

1:17:57>> The the pump track could be constructed

1:17:59and would be constructed if for some

1:18:01reason the West Side Trail was not able

1:18:03to move forward. That that site control

1:18:04already exists. Now, these are two

1:18:06complementary projects, but they they

1:18:08are The West Side Trail is one project,

1:18:10the pump track is another project, but

1:18:11they complement each other. Um but just

1:18:14I wanted to answer your question about

1:18:15the site control piece.

1:18:17>> Okay.

1:18:18Well, it just feels really half-baked.

1:18:21It's like this is not a real plan. You

1:18:23know, there's no consideration for like

1:18:25public use of this. I mean, everyone in

1:18:28this room is looking at that and saying,

1:18:29"What am I going to do there?" You know

1:18:31what I mean? How do you How do you ride

1:18:32that?

1:18:33>> This is a concept. This is It would

1:18:35require community engagement. This was a

1:18:38uh a draft. No way would we just put

1:18:41this in. We would go to you all to do

1:18:44community engagement, understand what

1:18:45are the needs, what do you want, what do

1:18:47you you know, how do you ride it? We

1:18:51would come to you, the experts.

1:18:53>> I wish there was community engagement

1:18:54before there was a planning board

1:18:55meeting. You know what I mean?

1:18:57>> I mean, we did meet with TNT.

1:18:59>> I don't even know.

1:19:01I don't know what community is.

1:19:02>> Are you guys from

1:19:05>> Could you come up here?

1:19:07Introduce yourself.

1:19:08>> Sorry. Thank you.

1:19:08>> Okay. Thank you, Ryan.

1:19:10>> We don't want you to speak, but let me

1:19:12just say this, right? And please don't

1:19:14beat me up, okay? Because I'm going to

1:19:16ask a really ignorant question because I

1:19:19have no clue about the I don't have a

1:19:21bike. Never had a bike, okay? So, let's

1:19:23be real.

1:19:25It's down what? The block? That they're

1:19:28proposing moving it?

1:19:29>> Mhm.

1:19:30>> On the

1:19:31>> opposite side of Light Art Park. Same

1:19:35Yeah, same.

1:19:38>> Well, okay. Right, cuz I'm trying to

1:19:40understand because I'm I'm trying to

1:19:42understand um

1:19:45because [clears throat] it's all within

1:19:46that same little area, correct?

1:19:52>> Come [clears throat] on, Rick.

1:19:53>> Come on, Rick, so we can hear

1:19:54>> Where they're talking about putting the

1:19:55>> No, Rick, you have to speak into the

1:19:56mic. Sorry.

1:19:58Apologies, sir. Just give us 1 second.

1:19:59[clears throat]

1:20:00>> Where

1:20:02where they're talking about putting the

1:20:03police parking lot where the current

1:20:04pump track is, that's that side of the

1:20:06track of the park. Where they're talking

1:20:08about this track right now, that's where

1:20:11the current parking is for Light Art

1:20:13Park. So, if you have a police parking

1:20:15lot over here and a pump track pump

1:20:18track that goes over the current parking

1:20:21for the park over here, that equals zero

1:20:23parking for the park.

1:20:26So, this I think this is just what they

1:20:28had to come here with. I don't think

1:20:29this would be the location. I don't

1:20:31think there's a location selected yet.

1:20:33>> Wait a minute, come back cuz I'm trying

1:20:34to understand I'm trying to visualize.

1:20:35So, you're saying where Light Park is

1:20:38next to Fun Citos, right?

1:20:40>> No, Light is down the street.

1:20:41>> I mean not not like that. But, that

1:20:44Right diagonal, you're saying where

1:20:46they're going to move

1:20:48the new park, there will be no parking.

1:20:50Is that what you're trying

1:20:51>> Yeah, if they go over where the current

1:20:53pump track is with the police parking

1:20:55lot, only the police can use that. So,

1:20:57then this

1:20:58pump track here that they're proposing

1:21:00goes over the only parking

1:21:03that the park has right now.

1:21:07So, there will be no parking for the

1:21:09park or the pump track.

1:21:11>> Only parking for the public

1:21:13>> Okay, wait a minute. We got Just go We

1:21:15want to hear from everybody, but

1:21:16let's do it in order.

1:21:18So, that would be the only parking. And

1:21:20how many parking spaces is available

1:21:22now?

1:21:23>> It In Light Park Park? Um there's a

1:21:25couple handicap or couple ADA, and it's

1:21:29just a stone dust

1:21:30temp- It's just a stone dust parking

1:21:32lot.

1:21:33>> So, we really

1:21:35is

1:21:35>> That it The The ADA spots are paved, and

1:21:39the the other parts are still stone

1:21:41dust. There's probably

1:21:43I don't know.

1:21:45>> [clears throat]

1:21:45>> Ten

1:21:46Ten Ten spots, maybe.

1:21:48>> do you think you need?

1:21:49>> If we have a pump track there?

1:21:50>> Yeah.

1:21:51>> You can have people from all over. If If

1:21:53we have a pump track the way we're

1:21:54building it

1:21:55>> I want people from all over, but I also

1:21:57care about the people that live in this

1:21:58community. Syracuse I do, too. So, that

1:22:00is my first priority, people that are

1:22:02from the West Side, from the whole city

1:22:04of Syracuse that are paying for this

1:22:06pump track.

1:22:06>> That's the best part about

1:22:07>> I'm curious. That's why I

1:22:08[clears throat] want to know how many

1:22:09parking spots do you think overall do

1:22:11you think you would need?

1:22:12>> [clears throat]

1:22:13>> Um

1:22:15Here's I don't know how to tell, but

1:22:16I'll tell you this is the one thing

1:22:17about having a pump track in this

1:22:18location is that West Fayette Street is

1:22:21a funnel for the Near West Side, the

1:22:24Park Ave neighborhood, Tip Hill,

1:22:26Strathmore, and everybody else funnels

1:22:28right down through there.

1:22:30You can ride your bike here.

1:22:32It's awesome. You don't need your

1:22:33parents to drop you off. You want to go

1:22:35out to Onondaga Lake skate park? Your

1:22:37parents have to drop you off. You want

1:22:38to go over here? Your parents got to

1:22:40take you. You want to go over there? You

1:22:41got to go This stretch of West Fayette

1:22:43Street

1:22:45uh

1:22:46it's a corridor, and one of the best

1:22:48things about it is that it belongs to

1:22:50everybody and nobody at the same time,

1:22:52meaning anybody is welcome here. It's

1:22:54the best part. It's centrally located,

1:22:56and any kid in the city could just ride

1:22:58over to

1:22:59>> that's where I'm confused, because for

1:23:00me, it's only it's moving down the

1:23:03street, right?

1:23:06>> You're eliminating

1:23:08>> Wait, no. We can't have If you want to

1:23:11talk, just come up here so we can hear

1:23:12it, and then we can

1:23:14Well, then come to the mic. We're not

1:23:16yelling, or we're not going to listen.

1:23:17Come to the mic so you introduce

1:23:18yourself so we can hear.

1:23:20Thank you.

1:23:21>> The one difference between this site, so

1:23:23A, there's zero parking now for the

1:23:25entire art park if you put it on top of

1:23:27parking.

1:23:27Um the other thing is that the site was

1:23:30chosen in

1:23:31collaboration with Stewarts of Light Art

1:23:33Park, and we talked to everybody that

1:23:34would pick up the phone or answer their

1:23:36door. And the place that the current

1:23:39pump track is, it's back, it's

1:23:40protected. Your kids can go play.

1:23:43They're not going to wander into Fayette

1:23:44as people You tried People tried to put

1:23:46a stop sign in in there. Nobody stopped.

1:23:48So, like it's

1:23:50I appreciate the support, but it just

1:23:52doesn't make sense.

1:23:53>> Okay, come back. I got a question,

1:23:54right? So, both for anybody. I mean,

1:23:57anybody wants to ask a question, right?

1:24:01So, if if you

1:24:03First of all, let me tell you something.

1:24:04I am a sports person. I love activity. I

1:24:07am Nobody in this building is more of a

1:24:09a park person I am.

1:24:11Just letting you know that, right? So,

1:24:14and I rode bikes.

1:24:15I love it, right? And I And I want our

1:24:17children and I want our community to be

1:24:18active. So,

1:24:20that is a definitely a concern.

1:24:22But, I want to know from you guys, if

1:24:24the parking lot had to come over, is

1:24:27there anywhere else or something that

1:24:29you would guys want to come to agreement

1:24:32to say, "Okay, look."

1:24:34Right? We We just got to hash hash this

1:24:36out. Is there something that we can come

1:24:37to agreement so we can meet everybody's

1:24:39meet needs? What would that look like?

1:24:41>> And as as the as the commissioner said,

1:24:44this is a concept. So, when she said

1:24:46she's going to be coming back out and

1:24:48having a conversation, is there

1:24:50something that you guys would want to

1:24:51see moved or how you would want to shape

1:24:53it or or what?

1:24:56>> This won't fit where they're

1:24:58going to

1:24:58>> You can't do both here.

1:25:00>> You don't have to be stressed out

1:25:01between the four options.

1:25:02>> We've been planning this thing and

1:25:03working on this thing for 10 years.

1:25:05We're not going to be able to answer

1:25:06that tonight. We've taken into so many

1:25:08voices and so much consideration.

1:25:10There's it's impossible to give you a

1:25:11straight answer tonight. Um the support

1:25:14is appreciated, of course, but um it has

1:25:17evolved organically and that's the magic

1:25:19of it. Um

1:25:21I I want to let other people speak.

1:25:23>> I I have I have a follow-up question

1:25:26about

1:25:26>> what he's saying.

1:25:27>> I I I think Rick Rick

1:25:29>> Thank you for your patience. Just don't

1:25:30>> to ask you a question. So, so the

1:25:32current where the where the track is

1:25:34now, right? Where you guys are using,

1:25:36how many parking lot are there?

1:25:38>> Uh it's maybe like maybe like 10 spots.

1:25:41But, the other thing is that the park

1:25:42gets really squeezed there, right? So,

1:25:44if you put a pump track there, you're

1:25:46between um you're between the road and a

1:25:50and the the train fence. It gets really

1:25:52narrow.

1:25:52>> 10. And you would What you were saying

1:25:54is if if it was moved, not only is there

1:25:57a safety concern, but you would also

1:25:59lose the 10 parking spaces.

1:26:01>> Correct. Exactly.

1:26:04Yeah, and if my kids are going to be out

1:26:05there, I don't want them like

1:26:0715 ft away from West Bay Street cuz

1:26:09people get whipping down there pretty

1:26:10quick.

1:26:10>> So, safety and parking are a concern.

1:26:13>> nestled in that back area where like uh

1:26:15Randy was saying,

1:26:16we put a lot of thought into that. It

1:26:19All these guys All these people build

1:26:21tracks, ride tracks, do all this stuff.

1:26:23And uh we put a lot of thought into this

1:26:24that and most of us have kids now. And

1:26:28um

1:26:28uh

1:26:29that matters safety matters a lot to us

1:26:32and the fact that it's tucked back to

1:26:33where it is right now, that's that's

1:26:35what

1:26:37by design. [clears throat]

1:26:37>> a quick question.

1:26:38Rick, a quick question.

1:26:39>> come back to town hall at some point?

1:26:41>> Okay. Just a quick question for you. Um

1:26:43how many events are happening at Mike

1:26:45Park per year? And what kind of events

1:26:47are you having?

1:26:48>> Uh we do um

1:26:50it it takes a while, but we do basically

1:26:52um

1:26:53rotating um

1:26:55just uh public art, murals, or

1:26:57sculptures, or things like that. It was

1:27:00kind of dead during COVID and then in

1:27:02the last couple years

1:27:03um we started doing regular rotating

1:27:06events there. But it's not just about

1:27:08events. You're really about um creating

1:27:10a a space with a lot of public art and

1:27:13um

1:27:13getting people out to look at that, but

1:27:15having this pump track here, that's one

1:27:16of those things that will really help

1:27:18bring a lot of activity to the park and

1:27:20more people there.

1:27:21>> Okay. Thank you.

1:27:22>> Yeah, it's everything Every one of these

1:27:24components contributes

1:27:25>> I just was wondering how many things you

1:27:26do there a year.

1:27:27>> Uh but every every one of these

1:27:29components adds another thing to it that

1:27:31makes it better every time.

1:27:32>> Yeah.

1:27:33Thank you.

1:27:34Thank you for your patience, too.

1:27:36>> Hello, you guys. I'm Marty um

1:27:38Schweizer hand,

1:27:39uh your local skate rep.

1:27:42Um

1:27:44now I grew up with um no no skate parks

1:27:48and then um Onondaga

1:27:51town came through and built a um

1:27:54Liverpool skate park and it was supposed

1:27:57to be open for the skaters to

1:27:59um

1:28:00to facilitate uh companies come out and

1:28:03build and you guys didn't you guys had

1:28:06uh

1:28:07the

1:28:09uh utilities department handle that um

1:28:13and it failed. Um

1:28:15And then

1:28:17you guys

1:28:19took a little while to build Eastwood

1:28:22and

1:28:23we really enjoy it but it's too small.

1:28:26So we took it over and we built a DIY

1:28:30and I guess that's the way we got to do

1:28:32things around here to get

1:28:33things done the way skaters want it and

1:28:36the way bikers want it and the way the

1:28:37people want it. Um

1:28:40I don't know what else to say. Uh

1:28:42you guys already fumbled the money once

1:28:46with the Liverpool Park and you already

1:28:49fumbled the money

1:28:50once with

1:28:53Yeah, but you guys

1:28:56uh Okay, well you fumbled money on this.

1:28:58Um

1:29:03You guys you guys fumbled the money

1:29:05because you said you guys were going to

1:29:07pave it.

1:29:09You guys fumbled the money

1:29:10because you guys said you were going to

1:29:11pave it and you never did and now it's

1:29:14in shambles. So

1:29:17That's all I have to say. Thank you.

1:29:35When I was building it they were all

1:29:37saying that oh yeah we're going to have

1:29:39it paved and

1:29:42No, this one. The pump track. Yes.

1:29:46Um

1:29:48Probably like 3 years to I don't know

1:29:51how long it was.

1:29:53Well, the pump track came in in 2021.

1:29:56Right?

1:29:58That was the grand opening. Yeah.

1:30:00Um

1:30:02So it's really hard to to trust you guys

1:30:04with money that we know that you're

1:30:07going to just

1:30:08fumble, you know? And we we kind of know

1:30:12what we're doing here. We have

1:30:13connections in the skate companies, in

1:30:15the

1:30:16biking companies. We can get the people

1:30:19right to build this park.

1:30:22And you guys just

1:30:23>> So, I respect your comment and I really

1:30:25want to help. I really want to listen,

1:30:27but when you say you can't trust and you

1:30:30you fumbled and you're saying that we

1:30:31did it and we've never had a

1:30:32conversation. I take that really

1:30:34seriously because we've never had a

1:30:36conversation and I know nothing about

1:30:38you wanting to skate, right? So, this is

1:30:41why we have dialogue, right? But for you

1:30:42to say we fumbled and we're careless

1:30:44with money, I don't I don't think that's

1:30:46fair for to me or my colleagues because

1:30:48we care.

1:30:49>> I just want to know that we've been

1:30:51working closely over the last since I've

1:30:53been here the last 2 years to work with

1:30:55uh specifically the skaters.

1:30:58Um we've been working closely with Mike

1:31:01to A work on expanding the Eastwood

1:31:04skate park. Um and so, I just want to

1:31:07make sure that I know and mention that

1:31:08we have been listening. I have been, I

1:31:10know Josh has been. We've been sitting

1:31:13with um a group of folks planning out

1:31:16the expansion of Eastwood um skate park.

1:31:18We've also Excuse me, Kirk. Um we're

1:31:22going to build one in Kirk Park. Mike

1:31:24has been on our team instrumental. We

1:31:27have a ramp currently at Kirk Park so

1:31:30that kids in that community could

1:31:32utilize it. We could see, you know,

1:31:34we've been sitting back watching to see

1:31:36how many kids come out and played on the

1:31:38ramp with their skateboards and it's

1:31:40been amazing. And so, we are listening

1:31:42and we do support you all.

1:31:45>> Um I just want to stand up here and

1:31:47support what he's saying because um

1:31:49people like who are out creating good

1:31:52positive energy in the community, they

1:31:54don't have time to come to meetings.

1:31:56They don't like I want I'm

1:31:58I don't I don't want I said in one of

1:32:00the emails I sent cuz I didn't know if

1:32:01I'd be too shy to speak it, but like

1:32:03>> You're not shy. Let's go.

1:32:05>> people

1:32:07People who know how to do this, they

1:32:10don't spend their time going to every

1:32:12TNT meeting. They don't know where those

1:32:14calendars are. So, that was the role

1:32:16that I played for a little while to be

1:32:17like, "Hey, you. You got that skill. I

1:32:20know I know you want this for the town,

1:32:22and we're going to do it." And so, when

1:32:23he says "You guys fund with the money."

1:32:26Like, that's representative of the

1:32:28perspective of people who they people

1:32:31I don't want to speak for you, but like

1:32:32people don't get that support. So, they

1:32:34don't expect that support. And so, when

1:32:37the institutions that have these

1:32:39decision-making powers

1:32:41um continue to create subpar experiences

1:32:44for kids who are just trying to find

1:32:46something fun to do after school, like I

1:32:48feel like that was maybe more

1:32:50representative of what he's saying, not

1:32:52personally to you

1:32:53>> We don't We don't create

1:32:55that.

1:32:56>> No, I know. So, that's what I'm saying

1:32:57in the process. We don't create it at

1:32:59all.

1:32:59>> And that's what I'm saying, like

1:33:00>> I understand that.

1:33:01>> These folks

1:33:03These folks, like nobody wants to be

1:33:05here tonight. Like, we just want nice

1:33:06things for our community, and nobody

1:33:08knows who does what.

1:33:09>> So, I want to appreciate it. I do want

1:33:11to We have a couple more people who

1:33:12haven't spoken yet. Um

1:33:14>> So, one of the things I would like to

1:33:15say is us under breaking down how this

1:33:18process works. And the second is say

1:33:21everyone wants the community right. If

1:33:23nobody don't know me, you should get to

1:33:25know me. I'm one of the people that will

1:33:27fight for our kids. I want our kids to

1:33:29have I want the community

1:33:30[clears throat] to have. So, it's not

1:33:31that we're against any park. We want to

1:33:33see it right, but we want to come

1:33:34together and not say, "Well, no one's

1:33:36listening here, and we want this." Kirk

1:33:38Park want Eastwood want Mountain View,

1:33:41right? We've been trying to get things

1:33:42going there. we have so many

1:33:44parks, and we we have so much greenery

1:33:46and great places in our community. We

1:33:48want to work together, but we got to be

1:33:50able to talk together and not say, "You

1:33:52didn't do it." And that that And

1:33:53sometimes things happen that we don't

1:33:54always agree on, right? But if it fits

1:33:57the rest of the 130,000 people,

1:33:59sometimes that's what happens. So, I

1:34:01just wanted you to understand that, too.

1:34:04Thank you.

1:34:04>> Hello, Jeff Bulaski, business owner in

1:34:08the area over there. Uh the attraction

1:34:10to the area is that the art park and

1:34:14like Rick's building attracts artists. I

1:34:17own a recording studio. I have artists

1:34:19come.

1:34:20I have

1:34:21That's what it's about over there.

1:34:23I love the fact that the police moved

1:34:25over there, but something if there's 435

1:34:28spots needed

1:34:30or so,

1:34:32when I bought my building, I made sure I

1:34:34had parking spots.

1:34:37And

1:34:39I keep thinking about this Gettysburg

1:34:41Plaza. Now, when

1:34:44a few years ago, I believe that was up

1:34:46for sale. Is it still up for sale?

1:34:49The quick fix would be buy that,

1:34:52bulldoze that crap building,

1:34:54and there's your parking.

1:35:00>> Thank you, Jeff.

1:35:01>> Nobody cares about that plaza.

1:35:04>> Well, you guys don't.

1:35:06>> Well, what's in it?

1:35:07>> I don't know, but then we'll get another

1:35:09group to say different.

1:35:10>> You Are you talking about the one next

1:35:12>> I don't want to cut you off. I just it's

1:35:147:00 and I want to get permission from

1:35:16everyone to go another 5 minutes.

1:35:17>> What Are you talking about the plaza

1:35:19next to PSLA?

1:35:20>> Get Gettysburg Plaza right there. They

1:35:23They had the A&P in it at one point.

1:35:25That's all I had. 90% of it's vacant

1:35:27right now. Am I right, Rick? I mean

1:35:31A lot of it's vacant.

1:35:33Buy it and level it.

1:35:35And that would be the most perfect

1:35:37thing. And then in then in a few years,

1:35:39save up some money,

1:35:41build a second story structure to it.

1:35:43That would be the most awesome thing

1:35:46that you could do for this whole thing.

1:35:47Cuz the art park

1:35:49is represent- representative of what a

1:35:52lot of people are over there for. Thank

1:35:55you all. Peace.

1:35:56>> much.

1:35:57>> Thank you.

1:35:57>> Okay, we got we got a couple more

1:35:59people. We're going to go

1:36:0110 more minutes over if that is the

1:36:04consensus.

1:36:05>> going to be like 3 minutes. I'm going to

1:36:06tell you right now.

1:36:06>> Okay.

1:36:07I did want to just make one quick thing.

1:36:09>> Yeah.

1:36:10>> Um

1:36:11Brian, a couple sentences ago said that

1:36:14how is the current

1:36:16park into current pump track in terms of

1:36:18size? Is it good? Thumbs up? Is it too

1:36:20small? Thumbs down?

1:36:22>> Small.

1:36:23The current pump track?

1:36:24>> Current pump track.

1:36:25>> I I think I'd love for it to be bigger.

1:36:27>> Okay.

1:36:27>> Mhm.

1:36:28>> All right, thank you.

1:36:30>> [clears throat]

1:36:31>> Um

1:36:32when I say city, I'm not talking about

1:36:34you guys. I'm talking about

1:36:35administration, okay? You guys did

1:36:38nothing wrong here, okay?

1:36:39>> I don't need to be scared.

1:36:41>> [clears throat]

1:36:42>> Uh

1:36:43today is important.

1:36:45Uh today is important and it's about a

1:36:47lot more than just a pump track. Um

1:36:49after all these years of conversations

1:36:51on the community plan for a bigger,

1:36:53better paved pump track and an arts

1:36:55district, the city and SPD say, "Nope,

1:36:57we're going to build a police-only

1:36:59parking lot here."

1:37:00Uh I'm telling you this now, do not let

1:37:03them placate you with more promises.

1:37:06Uh you heard that the city has uh

1:37:09committed up to $300,000 towards a new

1:37:11pump track somewhere else.

1:37:13Pay attention to those words, up to

1:37:16300,000.

1:37:17We never asked for money to move our

1:37:19pump track somewhere else. We were

1:37:21already exploring ways to design, fund,

1:37:24and build a much bigger paved pump track

1:37:27with professional builder builders like

1:37:30VeloSolutions,

1:37:31uh community involvement, and

1:37:33fundraising right here. We were We were

1:37:36just waiting for the okay from the city

1:37:39to pull the trigger for us to start that

1:37:41process.

1:37:43We were not just hanging out. We were

1:37:46waiting to get the okay, and then we

1:37:48were going to launch this next big

1:37:50thing.

1:37:51Um

1:37:52the city has also told us that we're not

1:37:55really losing a pump track because

1:37:57they're just going to build us another

1:37:58one in a different location. Really?

1:38:01You really think they will? After

1:38:03everything that's happened over the last

1:38:054 years, why should we trust that the

1:38:07city now? They want us to give up

1:38:10everything we've worked for first, tear

1:38:13out our existing pump track, and then

1:38:15trust that they'll follow through on

1:38:17something somewhere else somewhere

1:38:19sometime later. Fool me once, shame on

1:38:22you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

1:38:24Would you like to know my favorite

1:38:26option for a new police parking lot?

1:38:28Right at the corner of Erie and South

1:38:30Street, 801 West Erie Boulevard, and

1:38:33I'll tell you why. Because if they build

1:38:35the parking lot right there, then maybe

1:38:38the city will finally make the

1:38:39improvements to the sidewalk under the

1:38:41South G Street underpass that they've

1:38:43been telling the community they were

1:38:45going to do for the past 20 years.

1:38:52And understand this.

1:38:54The location is part of the point. The

1:38:57The sculptured pump track, Light Bar

1:38:59Park, the surrounding studios,

1:39:00businesses, and the people that um are

1:39:03what make this place special. Moving one

1:39:06piece somewhere else does not preserve

1:39:08what we're trying to build together

1:39:09here. We're asking for the city to

1:39:12recognize that potential and study what

1:39:14it could mean for the whole region

1:39:16before making a permanent decision that

1:39:18takes part of that away.

1:39:21Our three goals. Number one, to stop the

1:39:23proposed police pump track from being

1:39:25built at 115 South G Street over the

1:39:29current pump track location. Number two,

1:39:32move forward with the community-led

1:39:34design and construction of a new paved

1:39:36pump track

1:39:37at its current [clears throat] location.

1:39:39The community must lead the planning,

1:39:42design, and development.

1:39:44Um and number three, request a formal

1:39:46economic

1:39:48impact study of creating

1:39:50a recognized Westcott Arts and Cultural

1:39:53District. We want to explore what a

1:39:55coordinated district could mean for the

1:39:57neighborhood, the city of Syracuse,

1:39:59Onondaga County, Central and Central New

1:40:01York as a destination.

1:40:03If the city and SPD push this

1:40:05police-only parking lot through over the

1:40:09objections of the people who live, work,

1:40:11create, and ride here, they will be sent

1:40:14they will be sending a clear message to

1:40:16the bike community, the arts community,

1:40:19local businesses, and neighborhood

1:40:20residents.

1:40:22Sit down and shut up.

1:40:24Giving us a public hearing means nothing

1:40:27if our input cannot change the outcome.

1:40:30I'm asking the counselor

1:40:31>> a public hearing because otherwise we

1:40:33would have had to advertise it in

1:40:34advance. You are over time, just putting

1:40:37that out, all right?

1:40:38>> One more thing. I'm asking the council

1:40:40to stop this parking lot at this

1:40:41location, insist on a serious review of

1:40:44the alternatives, and work with the

1:40:46community

1:40:47on the three goals above. We deserve

1:40:49more than another promise. We deserve a

1:40:52meaningful say in the future of our own

1:40:55neighborhood.

1:40:56>> Thank you very much.

1:40:58>> [applause]

1:40:59>> Okay, last couple speakers.

1:41:03Do you have something to say? Come up.

1:41:05I also want to point out while

1:41:06somebody's walking to mic that we did

1:41:08get written comments. They are going to

1:41:10be circulated to uh Common Council and

1:41:13Mayor's office.

1:41:15>> Hi, I'm Charlie Sam. I do art stuff.

1:41:17I've been part of the community,

1:41:19specifically that neighborhood, for

1:41:21about 30 years.

1:41:23For about 20 years, a group of us, I'd

1:41:27say between 10 and 20 people over the

1:41:30years, have been active in developing

1:41:32Light Art Park.

1:41:34The pump track in its current location

1:41:38and footprint is a part of the art park

1:41:42and is part of that. Currently, this

1:41:44plan that's being proposed would

1:41:47effectively eliminate the pump track.

1:41:51The proposed relocation and

1:41:54redevelopment at the other end of the

1:41:56lot is inappropriate. It would eliminate

1:41:59the current existing parking for Lipe

1:42:03Art Park.

1:42:04In addition to that, I believe that the

1:42:07construction of the police parking lot

1:42:09is not necessary at that location.

1:42:13Others have spoken very eloquently about

1:42:16the availability of other spots. Thank

1:42:19you.

1:42:20>> Thank you. Thank you.

1:42:22>> [applause]

1:42:23>> One second. Do we have any Do we have

1:42:24any speakers who haven't spoken yet?

1:42:27Come on up.

1:42:32A tall people around here. I'll just

1:42:34yank it down here. Yeah.

1:42:35Uh good afternoon. My name is Kira

1:42:37Crawford. I'm a city of Syracuse

1:42:39resident. I am an avid bike rider and

1:42:41user of the pump track where I have

1:42:43really enjoyed spending time. It's a

1:42:44great opportunity to learn and to be out

1:42:47in the community. And I also just want

1:42:49to express my gratitude for every single

1:42:50person in this room who shows up tonight

1:42:52because I know that everybody cares

1:42:54about the future of the city and the

1:42:56residents in it. And that means a ton.

1:42:58Uh

1:43:00So, I I wanted to A lot of people in

1:43:03here know the logistics of this pump

1:43:05track better than I do. So, I'm not

1:43:07really going to double down on any of

1:43:08those pieces. I do want to note the

1:43:09safety concern coming in and out of that

1:43:13driveway, that street, it is

1:43:16frightening. It is frightening. I had a

1:43:18kid who was walking around town there on

1:43:20a regular basis, and it was it was

1:43:22really scary.

1:43:24So, I do think that there are some real

1:43:25safety concerns that need to be

1:43:27considered when it comes to trying to

1:43:28turn out onto Gettys that are just one

1:43:30of the reasons that make this not a

1:43:32great idea. But the other things that

1:43:33I'm hearing are a bit around trust. It

1:43:36is also around process. And Councillor

1:43:39Caldwell, I heard you say, "We just want

1:43:41to be able to talk about this together."

1:43:44And I think that that is really in some

1:43:46ways the crux of the problem here,

1:43:49right? Because what I'm seeing and what

1:43:51I'm hearing is there is an unceremonious

1:43:54bulldozing of community that has been

1:43:56cultivated in this space.

1:43:59And and that is a really big deal. There

1:44:02are people who have poured days and

1:44:04hours and love into those spaces. There

1:44:06are places around the world where people

1:44:08would pay for that, right? It is

1:44:12it's more than just a track. It is about

1:44:15something the community has built for

1:44:17community.

1:44:19So,

1:44:21I

1:44:22There's a There's a great place in

1:44:23Siena, Italy, where they have actually a

1:44:25track, it's a racetrack in the middle.

1:44:26And every single community has its own

1:44:28flags and its own colors. And people

1:44:30come out enthusiastically and

1:44:32energetically, not necessarily because

1:44:35of the race that happens one time a

1:44:36year, but it's because of the community

1:44:38that environment that it generates. So,

1:44:40I just want to say, if we could please

1:44:42keep that in mind, and it the adage

1:44:44that, you know,

1:44:46"If you want to go fast, go alone. And

1:44:48if you want to go far, we should be

1:44:49doing this together." If we could just

1:44:51please keep on that track, literally,

1:44:54figuratively, moving forward, be much

1:44:56appreciated. Thank you.

1:45:00Anybody else have a chance need a

1:45:02chance?

1:45:03>> I will note the $300,000 is earmarked

1:45:06and marked for Light Bar Park. It is not

1:45:08up to 300,000, it is 300,000 for Light

1:45:12Bar.

1:45:15>> Any other questions from counselors?

1:45:24>> My name is Andrew Bose. I've worked in

1:45:26downtown Syracuse for 30 some odd years.

1:45:28I live in Baldwinsville, New York. First

1:45:30thing I would like to say to everybody

1:45:31in this room, thank you so much for

1:45:33showing up because it's the people that

1:45:35show up that care. They're the ones that

1:45:37make a difference. Um, what I see, um,

1:45:42I've become more of a bike rider in the

1:45:44past 5 to 7 years than I was as a youth.

1:45:47I'm 66 now. I'm more fit now than I ever

1:45:50have been because of my activities by

1:45:53biking. I'm also a creek rat. I'm very

1:45:55busy and active within that corridor.

1:45:58So, in the face of this, what we see is

1:46:00a city taking away an organically grown

1:46:05piece of the community

1:46:07because this pump track is a core part

1:46:10of Lake Park, which was an organic

1:46:13creation from the community. The people

1:46:16that lived in that neighborhood, they

1:46:18put their sweat into this. And that's

1:46:20what makes it so difficult for when a

1:46:24agency, so to say, the police department

1:46:26has to come in and say, "Hey, we need

1:46:29this for our stuff. Sorry, we're going

1:46:32to do the best we can over here."

1:46:35Great. That's a great beginning. All

1:46:37right, but it's a long conversation.

1:46:40Right now, we already have police

1:46:42department vehicles parked offsite down

1:46:45on Erie Boulevard. How far away was that

1:46:48from the

1:46:50police department on State Street? Okay,

1:46:53there was quite a bit of distance

1:46:54distance there.

1:46:56Is there an opportunity to create a

1:46:59situation where uh we utilize the West

1:47:04Fayette and

1:47:06West Street

1:47:08lot right now that is a vacant lot.

1:47:12That's one large block away from the

1:47:15police department. Make that a secured

1:47:18lot. This has already got parking lots

1:47:20around it. It's not going to fight the

1:47:22neighborhood. It's a new idea. Yeah,

1:47:25transportation's going to have to be

1:47:26involved. One of the things we talked

1:47:28about, I think I heard from Eric saying

1:47:30that this parking lot may ultimately be

1:47:34for a building. Did I hear that correct?

1:47:37>> Was the reference to that was related to

1:47:40one of the ideas suggested around Erie

1:47:42Boulevard West

1:47:43>> Okay, I don't want to complicate the

1:47:45issues.

1:47:46Um,

1:47:47but it's not an easy solution, but the

1:47:50fact that everybody got in the room, got

1:47:51together, got to hear everybody's

1:47:53concerns is a really great step and

1:47:55thank you very much for taking the time.

1:47:57>> Andrew.

1:47:57>> Thank you.

1:47:59>> All right.

1:48:00>> I'm calling

1:48:01>> Yep.

1:48:02All right, with that we're going to

1:48:02close the meeting. Thank you all for

1:48:04being here today and joining us for the

1:48:06joint public safety and parks, I don't

1:48:08remember what we called this, meeting.

1:48:09Close enough. All right, thank you,

1:48:12everybody. If you have written comments,

1:48:14we will receive them. We did get, again,

1:48:16emails. Thank you all.

1:48:17>> I want to thank you.

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