Let's share our piece of paradise
By Trish Ferraro
Daily Press
December 2, 2005
I hate to be the one to let the cat out of the bag, but in response to Lawrence Sviihla's letter on Nov. 22 ("A pitiful petition"), those of us who live in Buckroe consider it Hampton's best-kept secret, and he knows it, too. He even called it a diamond in the rough. Others in Buckroe who complain about the blight and crime call it their little piece of paradise as well.
The city of Hampton is in the process of buying all of the property that has been considered blighted. It will sell that land to developers to create new neighborhoods. It is selfish to force people out of their homes, and then not allow them or the other 147,000 Hampton citizens to keep 10 acres of land to visit and enjoy near the beautiful waterfront on the Chesapeake Bay. After all, the city purchased that land with citizens' tax dollars, and even though the land was purchased for future development, one only has to look at our congested waterfront to see the need to rethink the purpose for that land.
Furthermore, though citizens have only owned those 10 acres for the past 20 years, it has been a place for gathering and recreation for more than 100 years.
The diamond in the rough is about to be polished, and with a wonderfully designed waterfront park, all Hampton citizens will have a more attractive, safe and desirable place to bring their families.
I encourage everyone to read the Buckroe Master Plan's Bay Front Initiative, and then find a petition located in one of the businesses found at www.buckroe beach.org, and let us have an opportunity to share our little piece of paradise with everyone.
Trish Ferraro
Hampton
Copyright (c) 2005, Daily Press
A pitiful petition
By Lawrence Sviihla
Daily Press
November 22, 2005
I recently witnessed people signing the Greenspace Gals' petition at a local Buckroe restaurant. The sign associated with the petition says the city wants to take the beach and Buckroe Park and build condos. Anyone who has gone to City Hall or reviewed the Buckroe Redevelopment Plan knows that is not the case. The city is not closing the beach or destroying the waterfront park.
What the city is doing is building quality residences and businesses on vacant nonwaterfront, city-owned land. This land currently houses a dog park, Dumpsters and overflow parking. The city is also removing blighted properties.
The people I witnessed signing the petition were basing their decision on the misinformation that accompanied the petition and had never bothered to look at the real redevelopment plan on the Internet or at City Hall. If the Greenspace Gals really want to know how the public feels about the redevelopment plan, they would have correctly represented the city plan. Those people signing the petition were basing their decision on bogus information and those petitions should be discarded.
Buckroe Beach is a diamond in the rough, and if the city goes through with its plan Buckroe will be a much more attractive, safe and desirable place for us to raise our families.
Lawrence Sviihla
Hampton
Copyright (c) 2005, Daily Press
