BRATTLEBORO — Peter Whitley and I do agree that a central location is ideal when developing a public skatepark. Additionally, the Green Street School may also prove to be a positive element in the proposed Crowell Park location. But we can't know that at this point. Because Mr. Whitley lives in San Diego, Calif., is it possible that he cannot see the forest for the Crowell Park trees?
For many members of the Save Our Playground Coalition (SOPC) and supporters who live in Brattleboro, the central location of Crowell Park (in and of itself) is not ideal because of the many reasons we have made very clear, over and over again.
The fact that Crowell Park is located at the top of a very steep hill seems worth considering, as that makes it not convenient for youth traveling to the park, or leaving it, on skateboards, which is what has been argued when downplaying the concern over the lack of adequate parking on Western Avenue.
The vehicular traffic in the area is dangerous enough already without kids heading down Union Hill, High Street, or Green Street on skateboard wheels.
So I am not sure what Mr. Whitely still sees as essentially “ideal” in this particular plan, or how he “investigated” it from California, particularly given what two expert arborists have concluded on the concern for Crowell Park trees and the impact the proposed skatepark will have on them?
Again, I cite his own skatepark development guide as a source for realizing the flaws in the proposed Brattleboro plan.
I did not oppose the cancellation of the mediation, as I was offered no opportunity to do so. I was abruptly notified that it had been canceled and that the court would be notified. If I had been given the opportunity, I certainly would have opposed canceling it after weeks of working to make it happen, for many people.
Mediation rests on trust in outlining the process and of those involved, not last-minute power plays and lack of communication. I fully support transparency in setting up any mediation, if the goal is to find points of common ground.
Transparency and skilled communication were not what occurred, as the record clearly shows. The town had weeks to participate in planning the mediation and, according to the mediator, did not respond to several email efforts to include representatives in shaping the process.
I have never banned anyone, anywhere, from participating in this discussion or deleted any comment made. In terms of my “eleventh hour” appeal of the Development Review Board decision, there was a family crisis in the weeks prior to the filing deadline, which resulted in a death in the family the day before that deadline. I filed the appeal at the last minute as I was out of town dealing with a tragedy.