Greenburgh Parks Advisory Bd supports amendment to Finneran law to allow 25 village families to use pool

Majority of Parks & Rec Advisory Board will support amendment to Finneran law to authorize up to 25 village residents to join AF Veteran pool….next step: Town Board discussion before we go to Albany seeking approval….

In the 1970s the Governor and members of the NYS Legislature approved a law that prohibits residents of the villages from having Greenburgh memberships at AF Veteran Park and pool. Over the years some exceptions have been made. The Greenburgh Town Board authorized park/pool passes for volunteer firefighters, volunteer ambulance corp members and parents of children with disabilities. In 2024 and in 2012 the Legislature and Governor signed into law exemptions enabling the town to lease space to Sporttime and to have an indoor pickleball and tennis program. We also opened our existing tennis programs a number of years ago to up to 25 village residents.

Last night (January 7th) I met with the Greenburgh Parks & Recreation Advisory Board. A majority of the Board members (not everyone but a majority)supported a proposed amendment to the Finneran law that would ask the State Legislature and Governor to authorize the town to open the pool to up to 25 village families a year. There are three pools in the villages –Dobbs Ferry, Hastings and Tarrytown. Some of the villages have a similar policy.
The recommendation now goes to the Greenburgh Town Board for discussion. If the law would be amended village residents who use the pool would be charged more than town residents since the villages do not pay taxes to the town for recreation programs.

The AF Veteran town pool, according to discussions we had last night, could easily handle the extra 25 families since the pool is not crowded most of the summer. The town would generate additional revenue which could help with programming. And – most important of all – we will generate some good will with our village residents. The entrance to AF Park is actually in the village- the pool is not. A few years ago, the Hastings pool was temporarily closed. Hastings officials wanted the town to make the pool available to some residents, and we were unable to be good neighbors with the village.

This proposed amendment, if enacted, will show village residents that their town government is trying to be responsive to village requests.
https://www.lohud.com/story/news/ny-news/2024/08/30/greenburgh-ny-pickleball-bid-needed-governor-kathy-hochul-signed-legislation/75001326007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z114736p001150c001150d00----v114736d--30--b--30--&gca-ft=209&gca-ds=sophi
https://dailyvoice.com/new-york/greenburgh/news/town-touts-finneran-law-change-awaits-input/477583/
PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor