To the Members of the Board of Education Port Washington School District No.4
 
Good Evening. My name is Eric Pick. I am an architect, member of Residents For a More Beautiful Port Washington (Residents), its Board of Directors and Executive Committee.

Residents is dedicated to sustainable growth by protecting the environment, enhancing the quality of life and increasing environmental awareness of the entire Port Washington peninsula. We are very mindful of the few remaining undeveloped parcels of land in our community and we consider proposals for the development of these parcels through the prism of how they will affect the environment, resources and quality of life that makes Port Washington such a special place.
 
There is a clear need for preserving open space in our community. That need extends to passive park and preserve-type of uses as well as active recreational uses for sports and other activities.

At our November Board of Directors meeting, Residents considered these issues in the context of the 17 acres Guggenheim Fields and adopted the position that this property should not be developed for athletic fields. Residents believes that the goals of preserving the 17 acre Guggenheim Fields for environmental education for the School District as well as creating playing fields elsewhere are both attainable.

Our Board has taken the position that the 17 acre Guggenheim Fields, together with the Gate House across Middle Neck Road from the Guggenheim Fields should become the focal point for environmental education in our community.
 
I have walked the property several times. The fields are full of life. They are home to Milkweed, a State protected plant, on which Monarch butterflies depend for reproduction. There are some 150 mature trees, including Black Walnuts and Chestnuts that are worth preserving for our future generations. Many kinds of birds, wild animals and plant species have been observed providing a wonderful resource for study. There are teachers who take their classes through the fields for observation. What makes this property so unique in this area is that, with he exception of a brief period of farming during the 1800's, the land was undeveloped.
 
Residents presented the administration, at its request, with design ideas of how the Guggenheim Gate House could be developed as an environmental study center. I want to highlight that those ideas were the result of many hours of work by Schreiber students, volunteering under my supervision, to survey the Gate House and plan for its expansion.
 
Addressing the need for athletic fields, Residents affirms the offer that our Exec. V. P. Dan Donatelli made at last month's BOE meeting to help the BOE bring together the school community, government officials, athletic organizations as well as all other interested groups to determine the best location for the sports fields.

In sum, the Residents Board believes that the quality of life in our community will be enhanced if the 17 acre Guggenheim Fields and the Gate House are preserved for environmental education. Residents stands ready to assist the BOE and the greater Port Washington community in realizing both of these goals.
 
Thank you kindly for your attention.
 

Eric Pick
Member of the Executive Board
 
December 1, 2003