Friday, September 12, 2025
Vol. 102, No. 37
Garden City O ffi Agent of the M ce onth
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August 2025
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Calls for demolition debate grow at St. Paul’s forum BY RIKKI MASSAND
Garden City’s kids took in one last day of fun at the pool on Labor Day. Now it’s back to school until next year! Thank you to the Garden City Pool Staff (especially Joanne) and the town for a safe, happy, healthy and fun summer! Photo courtesy Stephanie Bassi
Synthetic field sparks debate at Board of Trustees meeting BY RIKKI MASSAND At the Village Board of Trustees’ meeting on Wednesday, September 10, the hot topic of synthetic turf fields once again sparked debate. The board discussed plans to add at least one new field, with the possibility of more in the
future, to the village’s recreation facilities. Assistant Superintendent of Recreation & Parks Andy Hill reported that the village received a final proposal for a turf field at the St. Paul’s grounds. Before a purchase order is issued, the depart-
ment is awaiting input from legal counsel, and vendor The LandTek Group will soon provide 3D renderings of the new field. Hill noted that he will share these renderings with trustees and the public. Trustee Rich Catalano raised See page 28
For the second time in four weeks, Village Hall hosted a breakdown of the 2025 Garden City Survey on the future of the St. Paul’s main building. On Tuesday, September 9, consultants from Brandstetter Carroll Inc. (BCI) presented the results and took part in a question-and-answer session. The discussion quickly shifted to possible flaws in the survey and lingering confusion over what the trustees may ultimately propose for the historic Stewart Avenue landmark. The uses of adjacent Recreation Department structures, including the St. Paul’s Fieldhouse and Cluett Hall, were also debated. By the end of the night, most residents left Village Hall with more questions than answers—and no clear timeline on what comes next. Deputy Mayor Judy Courtney read aloud questions submitted by residents both in person and via Zoom. Some questions were directed to the BCI consultants, others to Mayor Ed Finneran and the Board of Trustees. One asked why the survey included data on home values. BCI’s Keith Rodenhauser explained that the information was meant to show residents how much a potential tax could cost, depending on property value. Another resident questioned how the village could finance long-term work at St. Paul’s when Recreation and Parks budgets are already stretched thin. Mayor Finneran responded that funding would be “iterative” and spread across years, not a lump sum in a single fiscal cycle. He emphasized the importance of a new Recreation and Parks superintendent, who would help set priorities and guide a 10-year plan. “When we have a hire, together we will be looking to prioritize what we believe makes sense. We’ll then create a budget and Rec. involves a 10-year plan. I am confident that every year over that period you will see improvements to the parks and our services in different ways – but this will not be a blank check. We will work closely with Village Treasurer Irene Woo, our Rec. and Parks staff and administration to see what is the best bangfor-the-buck,” he noted. Trustee Vinny Muldoon highlighted recent recreation investSee page 26
Welcome Sunday at Community Church PAGE 36 Girls’ Soccer starts with strong opener PAGE 43