Glenwood Park changed, good or bad?

On any given weekend, across the street from Hirano Store on Highway 11, you will see a pavilion next to a public bathroom where local old-timers talk story late into the night. These days complaints are common during the sessions; frequent users are upset because the picnic table they’ve been sitting on for years is gone. While it seems the removal of the bench was an attempt to deter use of Glenwood Park, many still continue to frequent the public facility. When asked about the bench, locals claimed law enforcement officers removed it, but Youth News was unable to substantiate this.

Diane Kramer, who works for Councilman Guy Enriques as his legislative aide, reported that the councilman has his eyes on the site for one of many park-and-ride facilities that will soon be popping up all over the island. The purpose of these stations is to encourage the use of mass transit and carpooling. At the same time, Kramer admitted the other benefit would be to discourage public drinking and similar illegal activities in the area.

Enriques’ plan requires the transfer of the land now occupied by the park from the state to the county, and Kramer could not say when that would occur. That possibility has one Glenwood local concerned. “They have no right,” he said. “The park was donated by Hirano Store.”

When asked to share their thoughts regarding the planned removal of the park, locals had many things to say about the park and their dissatisfaction with Enriques. “It would be unjust,” was a frequent comment that best describes how the old timers are taking this idea.

“There is a $10,000 water tank and a $20,000 septic system they would have to sacrifice, [and] the cars will most likely be stolen right away,” said another un-named local of Glenwood.

Kramer confirmed that the restrooms and the water tank will be removed for the park-and–ride facility, which is basically nothing more than a parking lot. While it is hard to say how beneficial this improvement will be to the greater community, one thing is sure, those in the habit of using the park these many years are unhappy.