There was an article in this publication a few months ago called "What's wrong with Batavia", and as someone who has moved away from WNY I particularly enjoyed reading the comments associated with that article. It was a very healthy debate, and helped me gain some insight on the general sentiment local people (and those who have moved away) have for the area. This question reminds me of that article, and I think revisiting the comments in the original article could be valuable.
I have no idea about the local politics in LeRoy, but I do have a good understanding of the underlying politics and issues facing WNY as a whole. I don't know the scope or scale of this question, but I do have thoughts on what will happen to the area if certain economic fundamentals don't change. I still have family in WNY, so I have a clear interest in these same questions. I would be interested read any additional perspectives on this.
Thanks, WK, for the tip. I didn't catch that article. It sounds like maybe it was pre-my active involvement on the Batavian, regardless I'll have to take a look at it.
I don't think, WT, we have to turn into a ghost town, but I do think we need to speak up and talk about the direction we want to go in. I'm really interested to know what people want for LeRoy's future. Small towns have been revitalized elsewhere, why can't we? I say we can.
William- Leroy is far from a ghost town. It is simply different than it was 50 years ago. At that time, the village was much more self sufficient. You didn't need to drive to Rochester or Buffalo, as Jello, Union Steel, Leroy Machine, Lapp, Continental Can, and Hirshman Pooley provided adequate manufacturing jobs at a good, honest wage.
Now, as with many small towns across NY and the USA, jobs are concentrated more towards urban areas and these small towns have no manufacturing jobs anymore. What few that weren't sent overseas don't provide near the type of compensation our parents and grandparents received.
What Leroy has become is a great option to live if you do work in Rochester or Buffalo. With easy access to 490 to east and 90 to west, our town has become a "bedroom community". Really no manufacturing jobs left, but plenty of hard working families moving here and increasing our village's tax base. I'm curious if there is an increase from 2000 to 2010 census on village/town residents.
Jennifer, I believe you may be a good example of the folks moving to Leroy. Small town, good schools, easy access make it appealing. I'm sure lower taxes will also help us grow, encouraging even more to move here. But I don't see that one coming.
There is one idea I have to save money, but I don't wish to share it at this time, as it is unpopular, and it would affect people I like and admire.
I'll wait till the new year to be a scrooge!
Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas
Don't forget about BOK. They employed MANY people for years (me being one of them...17 yrs. to be exact.) I sure miss that place. I met alot of nice people from the area. I enjoyed coming to LeRoy 5 days/week!
Thank you, Bud. I think we can attract many more people to this area for the very reasons you outlined. I believe we can fill the empty homes, but I do know that high taxes are a deterent. I think there is a lot of reason to be hopeful for our future, but I'd really like to know what everyone else wants for a future, the direction that everyone wants to see us go in.
I'm going to sound ignorant here, but I'd really like to know what BOK was? Thanks.
lol..BOK was a factory on Rt. 19, just at the bottom of the hill on the east side leaving the village. It now has a couple of small businesses in there, one being an Aramatic coffee service.
Mardell, nothing like meeting everyone on a Thursday night after 11 at Dargans. Payday was Thursday, everyone cashed their checks at 7(lunch), then came back to close the bar. I was a bartender there for a couple of years many,many moons ago
I don't live in the village, Jennifer, as you already know, but I grew up on South St and had a wonderful childhood in a thriving, sustainable village. I know that we will never have that strong economic base again, but we have attributes that can breath life back into LeRoy.
We have something that most villages don't have -- a beautiful creek bank running right through the heart of the business district. Waterfront village property with a gorgeous view -- the kind of space that could be a perfect weekend destination. With the right vision and the right specialty businesses to give people a reason to come.
We used to have a small group that met and talked about Le Roy as a mini art community. Small galleries, community theater and music combined with boutiques, antique shops, local agri businesses, etc. I always thought that those 2nd and 3rd stories would make great lofts.
Imagine the creek bank with a walkway and a sculpture garden. We have a sculptor whose work is created and can be found at her property on the Oatka Trail. Move her work up the creek a few miles so everyone can enjoy it. What about a dock and a floating bar off the new Creekside after it reopens? Visualize that bike path (already in the master plan) running along the creek down to Buttermilk Falls. Art, agri-business, entertainment and recreation. They did it in Saratoga Springs, Corning, Naples and Skaneateles. Why not Le Roy?
I'm just adding on with my handy edit button. There's a base to build on -- the Jell-O museum, the local restaurants, the couple of specialty gift shops that already exist and the farmers market and agri businesses outside the village.
There was an article in this
There was an article in this publication a few months ago called "What's wrong with Batavia", and as someone who has moved away from WNY I particularly enjoyed reading the comments associated with that article. It was a very healthy debate, and helped me gain some insight on the general sentiment local people (and those who have moved away) have for the area. This question reminds me of that article, and I think revisiting the comments in the original article could be valuable.
I have no idea about the local politics in LeRoy, but I do have a good understanding of the underlying politics and issues facing WNY as a whole. I don't know the scope or scale of this question, but I do have thoughts on what will happen to the area if certain economic fundamentals don't change. I still have family in WNY, so I have a clear interest in these same questions. I would be interested read any additional perspectives on this.
ghost town if they lose
ghost town if they lose Lapp., all most a ghost town now
Thanks, WK, for the tip. I
Thanks, WK, for the tip. I didn't catch that article. It sounds like maybe it was pre-my active involvement on the Batavian, regardless I'll have to take a look at it.
I don't think, WT, we have to turn into a ghost town, but I do think we need to speak up and talk about the direction we want to go in. I'm really interested to know what people want for LeRoy's future. Small towns have been revitalized elsewhere, why can't we? I say we can.
William- Leroy is far from a
William- Leroy is far from a ghost town. It is simply different than it was 50 years ago. At that time, the village was much more self sufficient. You didn't need to drive to Rochester or Buffalo, as Jello, Union Steel, Leroy Machine, Lapp, Continental Can, and Hirshman Pooley provided adequate manufacturing jobs at a good, honest wage.
Now, as with many small towns across NY and the USA, jobs are concentrated more towards urban areas and these small towns have no manufacturing jobs anymore. What few that weren't sent overseas don't provide near the type of compensation our parents and grandparents received.
What Leroy has become is a great option to live if you do work in Rochester or Buffalo. With easy access to 490 to east and 90 to west, our town has become a "bedroom community". Really no manufacturing jobs left, but plenty of hard working families moving here and increasing our village's tax base. I'm curious if there is an increase from 2000 to 2010 census on village/town residents.
Jennifer, I believe you may be a good example of the folks moving to Leroy. Small town, good schools, easy access make it appealing. I'm sure lower taxes will also help us grow, encouraging even more to move here. But I don't see that one coming.
There is one idea I have to save money, but I don't wish to share it at this time, as it is unpopular, and it would affect people I like and admire.
I'll wait till the new year to be a scrooge!
Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas
Don't forget about BOK. They
Don't forget about BOK. They employed MANY people for years (me being one of them...17 yrs. to be exact.) I sure miss that place. I met alot of nice people from the area. I enjoyed coming to LeRoy 5 days/week!
Thank you, Bud. I think we
Thank you, Bud. I think we can attract many more people to this area for the very reasons you outlined. I believe we can fill the empty homes, but I do know that high taxes are a deterent. I think there is a lot of reason to be hopeful for our future, but I'd really like to know what everyone else wants for a future, the direction that everyone wants to see us go in.
I'm going to sound ignorant here, but I'd really like to know what BOK was? Thanks.
lol..BOK was a factory on Rt.
lol..BOK was a factory on Rt. 19, just at the bottom of the hill on the east side leaving the village. It now has a couple of small businesses in there, one being an Aramatic coffee service.
Mardell, nothing like meeting everyone on a Thursday night after 11 at Dargans. Payday was Thursday, everyone cashed their checks at 7(lunch), then came back to close the bar. I was a bartender there for a couple of years many,many moons ago
I don't live in the village,
I don't live in the village, Jennifer, as you already know, but I grew up on South St and had a wonderful childhood in a thriving, sustainable village. I know that we will never have that strong economic base again, but we have attributes that can breath life back into LeRoy.
We have something that most villages don't have -- a beautiful creek bank running right through the heart of the business district. Waterfront village property with a gorgeous view -- the kind of space that could be a perfect weekend destination. With the right vision and the right specialty businesses to give people a reason to come.
We used to have a small group that met and talked about Le Roy as a mini art community. Small galleries, community theater and music combined with boutiques, antique shops, local agri businesses, etc. I always thought that those 2nd and 3rd stories would make great lofts.
Imagine the creek bank with a walkway and a sculpture garden. We have a sculptor whose work is created and can be found at her property on the Oatka Trail. Move her work up the creek a few miles so everyone can enjoy it. What about a dock and a floating bar off the new Creekside after it reopens? Visualize that bike path (already in the master plan) running along the creek down to Buttermilk Falls. Art, agri-business, entertainment and recreation. They did it in Saratoga Springs, Corning, Naples and Skaneateles. Why not Le Roy?
I'm just adding on with my handy edit button. There's a base to build on -- the Jell-O museum, the local restaurants, the couple of specialty gift shops that already exist and the farmers market and agri businesses outside the village.
Hey Bud ~ yep, Dargans....oh
Hey Bud ~ yep, Dargans....oh back in the days! Nothing like spending the ol' paycheck on a Thurs. night! I loved working 2nd shift. Good times indeed.
Thanks, Bud. :) Great ideas,
Thanks, Bud. :)
Great ideas, Lorie!