Drugs in the park not an isolated problem
I want to say that I believe that “Get Out and Stay Out! 12 of the Pioneer Valley’s best outdoor spaces” (April 2-8, 2015) is a discouraging article written in the Advocate amongst a bunch of other parks and recreational areas that Western Mass has to offer for people to get out of their houses and enjoy the outdoors. I think it’s sad that it went from being a good article about the beauty of the bike path as well as the scenic assets that any traveler or visitor to the bike path can enjoy and then the article goes on to trash Turners Falls. I happen to see many people at Unity Park during the warm months of the year. I also see people there even in the winter time. In fact, I was there this winter sledding. I think that perhaps maybe this is a very biased article which doesn’t make Turners Falls very appealing especially in comparison to the other 11 places that are stated in the article by Amanda Drane and Hunter Styles. I don’t believe that the drug problem at the park that a business owner is referring to is a Turners Falls historical highlight. It’s a countywide, nationwide, global epidemic problem. It’s thoughtful that the Advocate included Turners Falls. However, by the time you get down to the bottom of the canal side rail trail writeup you realize this is probably not a place you’re going to want to go and visit or take your children or financially support the economy of. I noticed that when I read about the park in Westfield, Forest Park in Springfield, Energy Park in Greenfield as well as other parks in Amherst in Northampton, drugs were mentioned. I was absolutely beside myself with excitement to open up the Advocate and find out the Turners Falls made one of the top 12 Pioneer Valley best outdoor spaces, only to find out the article is a smear campaign against Turners Falls.
Is it horse and buggy time yet?
What will people do in 30 or 40 or 50 years when the reserves of petroleum found on our planet dwindle to almost nothing? There are some that say that this is too short a time frame for this to happen. Others think that it might happen even sooner. I tend to go for the long-shot, maybe 100 years. Of course, there is a debate raging right here in this state about a natural gas pipeline that would run through the northern part of the state. Of course, as the population of the world increases and developing nations turn into developed ones, more cars! We have a finite planet on which we exist. That means a finite amount of fossil fuel and increasing expenditures of energy to extract it from the ground. Will the horse and buggy and high speed electric rail come to the fore?
Wait, wait, I’ve got one!
Editor’s Note: An online commentor tacked on a few more excellent additions to the article, “20 Ways You Know You’re From Springfield.” Add your own at www.valleyadvocate.com.
You remember the Allen & Cooley parking lot for more than just the shops.
You’ve never been to the Springfield Armory.
You know enough to slow down to avoid a rollover when exiting 291.
You know NOT to go to Mercy Hospital without protection.
You are still pissed you can’t take a left from Liberty onto Chestnut.
Correction: The telephone number for Wealth New England, first place winner in the 2015 Best Of the Valley Readers’ Poll for Best “Financial Planning Service”, was incorrect in the Best Of Guide, the correct number is (413) 687-9573.
