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The town mourns the passing of Chuck Bronz, who was a Math teacher in the Greenburgh school district, a football coach at Woodlands a long time School Board member, the chair of the Elmsford/Greenburgh Community Action program (CAP), a member of the Board of Directors of the Elmsford/Greenburgh NAACP and on the Health and Physical Education Committee of the National Jewish Welfare Board among others. He was married to Lois Bronz, former Chair of the Westchester County Board of Legislators. A celebration of his life will take place on Friday June 2 at 6 PM at the Theodore Young Community Center.
 
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On Sunday, I went bicycling on the Bronx River Parkway bike trail. The bike path is used by many runners, walkers and cyclists.  And, the scenery is beautiful. One big problem: Lots of graffiti along the path - from south of the Kensico Dam to White Plains and Scarsdale. Attached please find two photos of some of the graffiti along the parkway.  Almost every bridge and wall along the pathway has graffiti on it --some with language not suitable for children.
 
I immediately sent the photo's to the office of the Westchester County Executive --suggesting that the graffiti be removed. The graffiti reminds me of the old NYC subways or the South Bronx and symbolizes (in my opinion) disrespect for public property and neglect. It leaves a very poor impression of the park.
 
I also posted some of  the photo's on my personal facebook pages. Received some interesting responses. Some people agree that the county should remove the graffiti. Others feel that the county should turn the graffiti along the path into a community art project. Encourage art groups to work with our youth and turn spaces along or under bridges--along the Bronx River Parkway-- into community art.
 
Last year I contacted the Friends of the Parks and suggested that the Friends organize a graffiti busters --soliciting volunteers to remove the graffiti from areas along bridges, paths, walls along the bike paths.
 
What do you think?
Option 1---the county of Westchester should remove the graffiti along the Bronx River bikeway. Respect open spaces.
Option 2---a volunteer graffiti busters group should be formed to remove the graffiti.
OPtion 3---The county will never be able to completely get rid of graffiti along the path. The county should approach artists and create a community art project along the path.
PAUL FEINER
 
PS: In the interest of fairness- a few weeks ago I cycled from Elmsford to Ardsley on the South County trail and had the opposite experience. The path had no graffiti on it, parts of the path were repaved, no debris alongside the path. I was very pleased and sent the County Executive and Commissioner of Parks a thank you note - praising them for the efforts. Also posted on my facebook pages positive comments. Last year I had complained about the lack of maintenance along that stretch of the pathway.