Welcome to the first installment of the GantDaily Shout Out!
First, some rules. Each topic will run for one week. Submit your opinions just as you would a letter to the editor, following those same rules. You can email editor@gantnews.com or through our virtual news room. Please include ‘Shout Out’ somewhere in the subject of your e-mail or VNR submission.
You get one chance to voice your opinion on each topic; multiple opinions or letters from the same person will not be accepted.
We will begin running the Shout Out opinions on Tuesday.
This first question will focus on a potential land gift to Clearfield Borough.
In April it was announced that Gladys Novey and her son Martin are offering to gift their property, 2 W. Pine St., along the river, to the borough.
According to a letter from Timothy Durant, on behalf of his clients to the borough, the land is assessed at $63,000. The letter also states that the Novey’s intend to move their operations to their Martin Street property within the next 12 months.
According to the terms of the agreement, if the borough were to accept the gift, the property would be transferred ‘as is.’ The borough would have to agree to hold the grantor harmless and indemnify her against claims which may arise from prior use of the property.
The grantor would be permitted to place a plaque or memorial garden in an appropriate spot on the land in memory of her late daughter and husband. The grantor agrees that she and her heirs shall select, pay for and maintain the memorial garden.
Any environmental testing of the land will be the borough’s responsibility.
So the question is:
What do you think of the proposed Novey’s land gift to Clearfield Borough?
I certainly would support the boro accepting the land gift from the Novey’s. Anytime you can turn an eyesore into a green space the public can enjoy is a good thing. I understand the concern of the possible contamination of the ground is viable.
However the last time this gift was proposed DEP said it was to be cleaned up. All that was done was top soil was dumped. I understand the boro already owns an alley that runs thru the property. It would be a small step toinclude this in the riverwalk proposal. Perhaps some of the grant money could be used to make this happen or a new grant could be applied for. If not under the revitalization then the cleaning of contaminated ground.
Marylin Cutler
Clearfield
As a resident who lives directly across from Novey’s Junk yard, I am completely in favor of turning that property into a park. As a resident of Clearfield Borough I believe it would be nice to have an eye sore replaced with something attractive. Clearfield is a beautiful town with the good fortune to have a river running through it, and two well maintained parks lining its banks.
However, if you are enjoying lower Witmer Park the view across the river is very unattractive. As a neighbor of Novey’s, I won’t miss the dust, noise, cars blocking access to our parking, etc.
I hope that Clearfield Borough Council will make the right decision and accept the gift of the property as it will be beneficial to all who visit out beautiful community.
Dawn & Jeffrey Graham
Clearfield
I applaud the Novey family for their willingness to donate this property to Clearfield Boro. It would be a great addition to the Boro’s park areas,and help clean up what can be a beautiful area of the downtown and river.
My concern is the potential cost of the enviormental clean up of the area. I would suggest that if the Boro is interested in this gift, they have an enviormental assessment completed before the property would be transfered and then look at the costs involved to acquire this property. The costs of such a clean up can be extremely high and I would ask that the boro move very carefully with the help and guidance of the DEP before committing to this project.
Jack Yingling
Clearfield
I think the property donation from Novey’s is wonderful! Although they have done much to clean it up in recent years it has been an eyesore to the otherwise beautiful river we have flowing in our town. It will be wonderful to have it cleaned up and to turn it into a park or public access area. It would be great to have this in addition the the river walk that it proposed! It is a gift we should accept and as a community come together to make it ours.
Julie Kennedy
Clearfield
What a wonderful way to improve the visual aspect of the west bank of the Susquehanna. Placing a small park in the place of a business that has less than desirable visual options is a wonderful way to dress up this community. Most of, if not all, the properties bordering the river in town are very well managed and it would be nice to see that area moved up to that level. When you have something as valuable as a well-known river coursing through your town, wouldn’t you want to make it as attractable as possible?
I just hope that for the sake of the borough that DEP doesn’t require extensive action on the property. That would make the gift not a gift but a burden on the back of the community.
Beth Shifter
Clearfield
Just some meanderings about Mrs. Novey’s request—
Other comment about an eyesore constructed. I see a person’s life work being transformed.
Others might comment about the congestion and noise. I see a person’s patience, courtesy, and song as the aged scales weigh their hopes.
Others might be concerned about what the land holds. Be assured it held a person’s dream once, and still holds promise from the ashes.
A memorial, a walkway, a place to cast in. a place to collect memories.
These are my daydreams of the view from West Pine Street.
With Gratefulness,
Karen McGarry
Clearfield
I am completely in favor of the gifting of Novey’s to the bourough. I agree with other respondants in that the borough should have the land tested to see what the potential cost is and look for grant money to beautify this area. I understand that some residents see this business as an eyesore, I just look at it as not in an ideal location. It would be great to take that out of a residential area and “clean up the view” and the ground and give a place for the children in the west side neighborhood to visit and play together.
Amy J. Dixon
Clearfield