This first appeared in the New York Journal News on December 20, 2002

“The quality and character of the lives of the people of New York depend upon the quality and character of the land on which we live.” New York’s Open Space Conservation Plan 2001.

An opportunity presents itself now which Westchester County must exercise. Davids Island, a 78 acre island treasure in Long Island Sound, is available for sale to the county for parkland for $6.5 million. Davids Island will be the “jewel in the crown” of the county’s magnificent parks system. Davids Island has a potential few parks offer with panoramic views, cultural history, open space, walking trails, waterfront access and more in the heart of western Long Island Sound and Southern Westchester.

What is required is vision and leadership. These are concededly troubled economic times and Davids Island will require not only the expenditure of the acquisition cost, (although that will be bonded and spread over 20 years), but also substantial cleanup to repair decades of neglect. What is at stake, however, is not just today’s budget but the welfare of tomorrow’s generations and the creation of a unique and necessary facility. Davids Island should be bought now while it is available. Cooperation among County, State and

Federal authorities and the environmental groups can over time develop a plan for the clean up and its funding.

Parkland is not a discretionary frill. Westchester County’s park system is public capital that is essential to the quality of life. Viewing parkland acquisition as a luxury ignores the fact that parkland is a critical contributor to the bottom line. Numerous studies have established that investment in parkland is as important to the economic and social vitality of a region as investments in other types of infrastructure such as roads, sewers, utilities and other infrastructure elements. Parkland contributes both to the value of property and to the attraction of businesses and visitors. And these values do not include the value of such factors as environmental benefits, pleasing vistas and the social capital derived from a rejuvenated populace.

Davids Island would provide additional parkland in Southern Westchester where there is simply not enough parkland to service the continuously growing population adequately. The traditional standard for parkland “level of service” of 10 acres of parkland per 1000 residents is not met; for example, New Rochelle and Yonkers have less than 7.0 acres per thousand residents, Mount Vernon and Pelham Manor have less than 2.6 acres per thousand residents. By comparison even the very densely populated New York City has more with 7.2 acres of parkland per thousand people. It required commitment and vision to create that parkland in New York City, as is required here. There are very few large tracts of land left in Southern Westchester. Davids Island could be the South’s equivalent of the beautiful Ward Pound Ridge Reservation in the North.

Other factors supporting the acquisition of Davids Island are legion and compelling:

• Every study of Long Island Sound and virtually every County Open Space acquisition criterion supports the acquisition of Davids Island for parkland.
• Long Island Sound is already significantly impaired; preserving Davids Island is a critical part of the plan to protect water quality and wildlife in the Sound.
• Davids Island provides additional opportunities for swimming, a top County Parks Department priority, and presents a unique opportunity for dramatically increasing public access to the Sound’s shore.
• Davids Island is special as an island and provides an unusual opportunity to enjoy a totally isolated outdoor experience.
• The history of Davids Island is a history of America and is an ideal venue for teaching the history of this country.

A failure to seize this opportunity to acquire Davids Island which meets so many of the objective criteria for new parkland would be a real failure on the part of County government to provide open space in this increasingly landless society. While the price may seem high, one must look at that price in context. Compare it to the value of children laughing and playing on the beach for the next few hundred years, of water quality preserved, of wildlife protected. As summed up by the mayor of Bogota at the Urban Parks Institute conference last year, “We cannot prove mathematically that … more or better parks make people happier, much less measure how much happier. However if we reflect, most things that are important in life cannot be measured either: Friendship, beauty, love and loyalty are examples. Parks are essential to … happiness.”