Last week the village received $200,000 for what’s known as ‘street-scaping’. The money will be used in Ellenville’s downtown business district and could include an assortment of amenities such as new benches, streetlights, signage and trash receptacles. While these are nice things and can improve the look of the downtown, why not try setting our sights a little higher?

Several people have talked about closing off the portion of Liberty Square that runs between the “Boy With The Boot” island and the Hunt Memorial Building. We say rip up the current coat of asphalt and sidewalk and extend the Hunt’s lawn to the fountain. The project’s goal would be to ‘green’ out the space and allow a real village green to emerge in the center of the downtown.

It makes sense if you consider that any village event — Fourth of July, the Blueberry Festival, Music In The Square, Huntfest, etc. — generally requires the closing of Liberty Square anyway. Add to that the fact that it appears that the Canal Street entrance to Liberty Square is wide enough to accommodate traffic in both directions if the village would disallow parking on that stretch of road.

The project would reinforce the current administration’s pledge to revitalize the downtown by crafting a genuine ‘small town’ space where friends and neighbors could gather. Having a green meeting space in the center of town speaks directly to the ‘anti-mall’ sentiment that Mayor Jeff Kaplan announced during Hinchey’s press conference.

Granted, there are several other concerns that the village and town need to address that are far more pressing than a village green. Indeed, the list is so long and everyone so well versed in it that it seems unnecessary to mention it at this time. And several readers have made such observations on our website’s comment board — attacking the $200,000 for not being enough money to solve “the real problems.” Fair enough.

But if residents are thinking that one grant, one business or one member item is going to rescue the area from its economic doldrums, they are simply wrong. Turning a community’s fortunes around is a slow, exhausting process that moves by inches, not miles. Hinchey’s money is helping to put our area on a course and supply a momentum that needs a constant influx of energy to keep it moving.

If the hope of the village’s current efforts is to enhance the village’s quality of life, and the money can only be allocated to ‘street-scaping’, then a Hunt Memorial Green seems an ideal way to enhance our area with the funds available to do just that.

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