On March 6, the Westport Weston Family Y will begin presenting its case to the Planning & Zoning Commission for special permit approval to build a new 102,000-square foot facility and four-acre parking lot at Camp Mahackeno. As opponents of the Y's plan, we feel compelled to restate the position of Y Downtown and its members, since it has been distorted by many people over the past several years.
As the founders of Y Downtown, we, and a number of our supporters, are actually members of the Family Y and have children who attend Y programs. We are, in particular, swim team and (former) dance program parents. While we support the Y association and appreciate its desire for an updated facility, we believe that Camp Mahackeno, on the outskirts of Westport in a residential-only zone with difficult access, is unequivocally the wrong location.
The YMCA's large new aquatic, sports and fitness center at Mahackeno is not worth the high price Westport residents will end up paying to have it located there. Hopelessly clogged roads, extended commuting times, environmental damage to our precious water resources of Lees Pond, the Saugatuck River and Long Island Sound, massive deforestation of old growth trees, and the loss of one of the last large remaining parcels of open space are just some of the costs of this project. This proposed facility also is destined to become a regional YMCA, with new members coming from both directions of the Merritt Parkway, adding even more traffic congestion and unraveling the community feeling that the Y now offers in Westport.
The Y claims that it will close its doors if P&Z denies its application. We believe it's not prudent management to "put all your eggs in one basket" or have no "plan B," and have continually urged the town and the Y to pursue alternative sites, which still exist.
There are several alternative sites in the commercial downtown area that could accommodate a new Y, with some reasonable modifications to its current plans, including the Imperial Lot, Baron's South, Jesup Green and Winslow Park. Centrally located in a commercial zone on major roads, these sites offer more appropriate solutions for a future Y that will better serve the Westport community.
First Selectman Gordon Joseloff recently commented on his Westport Now Web site that he would prefer a downtown location for the YMCA, mentioning the Jesup Green and Imperial Lot sites. The Y's relocation to Mahackeno has become one of the most divisive issues in Westport. That is why the town and the Y's management need to talk about serving the best interests of Westport's residents.
While Y Downtown repeatedly has been characterized by some as a "small but vocal minority," during the Conservation Commission hearings, we submitted petitions signed by more than 2,300 Westport residents, a number of whom are also YMCA members, supporting our position and asking that the town and Y work together to find a suitable downtown location for the YMCA. That number continues to grow, and we don't think it's small by any means.
Throughout the town hearings, we have worked hard to maintain an above-the-board focus on the issues related to the Y's application. We believe that those who have the courage to stand up for what they believe should be respected, and not personally attacked. We hope that those for and against the Y's proposal will focus on the issues surrounding the Y's relocation to Mahackeno during the upcoming P&Z hearings when they voice their concerns.
We invite everyone who has an opinion about the Y's future location to attend the Planning & Zoning hearings in March and show the commissioners that the people of this town care deeply about the outcome of this application. It is only by speaking your mind that you will be able to influence this critical decision -- which, if approved, will change our town forever.
For more background on the issues and the P&Z hearing schedule, visit www.YDowntown.com.
Indy Goldberg and Debbie McGinley
Y Downtown
[14 Rices Lane]
Westport, Connecticut
