In the last few years, the City of Tonawanda has undertaken numerous community planning efforts that have asked city residents how they envision their community in the future. At countless events, the City and its project consultants have asked residents about what values and principles should drive planning and development in Tonawanda. The City’s commitment to asking residents and stakeholders what they want have resulted in back-to-back Public Outreach Awards from the Western New York Chapter of the American Planning Association.

During the Local Waterfront Redevelopment Plan; the Little City-Big Community Comprehensive Plan; and The Main Street Program, the closure and re-use of Young Street as a public, mixed use space was proposed, discussed, and ultimately overwhelming approved by stakeholders, in both public meetings and events as well as an online survey. Therefore, many individual projects as well as grant applications have been proposed that would result in the redevelopment of this waterfront space; provide much needed new development and public space; that would ultimately support business and property owners on Main Street and the community at large.

 The City, using the community’s vision as put forth in the LWRP, Comp Plan, and Main Street Program submitted an application for Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) grant for multiple projects in and around the closed section of Young Street. The City is a finalist for $10M in DRI funds that would result in more public space, lead to new development, and ultimately result in new, badly needed, tax revenue for the City.

The Common Council, reacting to a hand full of residents who don’t want Young Street closed because it’s an inconvenience to drive one block to Broad to get to Tops or Seymour Street, plan to pass a resolution to reopen Young Street, in direct conflict with the community’s vision and putting millions of dollars in funding and projects in jeopardy by bending to the vocal minority.

 Show the Common Council you want to see Young Street remain closed; to see transformative re-use of this unnecessary roadway; and want to City and Common Council to implement the community’s collective vision in the hundreds of thousands of dollars of plans it paid for and adopted.