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MAY 24-30, 2019
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 21
CAR. TR. MKTG MAIL US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 244 BRADFORD, PA
L I L V E G SP RIN TIMES
The official newspaper of the Town of Concord, and the Village of Springville. Serving Springville, the surrounding communities and Springville-Griffith Institute Central Schools
Honor our fallen heroes this Memorial Day By Kellen M. Quigley Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start to the summer, many times involving family picnics, great shopping deals and a day off. Before you pull out those white pants and head to the mall, take a few moments to reflect on the true reason for this holiday: remembrance. This weekend, make sure your American flag is flying, immerse yourself in patriotism and take a few moments to reflect on the lives that have been lost and the freedoms we all enjoy. Springville’s annual Memorial Day Parade is scheduled for Monday, May 28. The parade will form on South Buffalo Street by the log cabin and Veteran’s Park at 9:45 a.m.
and will proceed north on Buffalo Street at 10 a.m. to Main Street and turn on West Main Street to Maplewood Cemetery. In Gowanda, the Legion will also host a free breakfast for veterans from 7 to 9 a.m., which is also when the lineup will take place for the 20th annual Ride to Remember. A rider meeting will be held at 9 a.m. along with a moment of remembrance. Kickstands up at 9:15 a.m.; the ride starts at the Gowanda American Legion Post and will travel through Collins to Springville and up Route 240 to Sprague Brook Park in Glenwood, where a ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. The ceremony will commence with placement of the colors by the AMVETS Post 219 Honor
Guard at 11 a.m. It is suggested that people gather at the Memorial Grove prior to 10:30 a.m., at which time many motorcycle riders will arrive from the American Legion in East Aurora and the American Legion in
Gowanda. Gowanda HarleyDavidson will host their Ride to Remember event in conjunction with the ceremony, beginning at the American Legion Post #409 and 100 Legion Dr. in Gowanda. Veterans
can enjoy a free breakfast before heading to Sprague Brook. Beginning at the entrance of the park and leading to the Memorial Grove, the road will be lined on either side with over 1,000 American Flags
placed by the committee on Sunday prior to the ceremony. As they make their way to the Memorial Grove, attendees will pass beneath a giant American Flag. To honor those Erie County citizens who were killed in the Vietnam conflict, the ceremony will be held in front of the wall where their names are engraved. The solemn ceremony will honor all U.S. Citizens who gave their lives in service to our country. Many years ago, the trees that are on either side of the grove were planted, one for each Vietnam Veteran from Erie County who gave their lives for us, by Schichtel’s Nursery, Inc. As the holiday weekend unfolds, remember our fallen heroes.
Concord Town Board addresses issues at Trevett, Groth roads By Kellen M. Quigley There was much discussion at the May 9 meeting of the Concord Town Board concerning the closure of Trevett and Groth roads due to undriveable conditions. The board unanimously authorized Town Supervisor Clyde Drake to send a letter to the Erie County DPW Commissioner regarding the recent deterioration of
Groth Road, “making travel treacherous for emergency vehicles, school buses and the general public.” The board also authorized Drake to send a second letter that would point out the “continued negligence to re-open south Trevett Road at the closed section just north of Zoar Valley Road.” Supervisor Drake said that the letters would put the county on notice, which
is the only legal step the town has available at this time. “I’ve been down there and Trevett Road hasn’t moved,” said Council member Phil Drozd, who was a senior highway engineer for 15 years with Erie County, spending much of his time in area covering the town of Concord. “In the four years that I’ve been gone, that’s four
Make way for the bands
Photo by Kellen M. Quigley The Springville-Griffith Middle School marching band leads the way down East Main Street during the 57th annual Pageant of the Bands Saturday in Springville. The Springville middle and high school bands were among 18 different schools who participated in the annual two-day musical celebration. More Photos on Pg 6.
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Looking back to when we gathered flowers to lay on the graves of our loved ones who had died during a battle. From the Revolutionary War, Civil War and Spanish American War to the two World Wars, the Korean War, Vietnam War and beyond, we lay flowers on their graves to remember them. Memorial Day is for those who died while in Military Service. But how did it all get started? General John A. Logan called for a nationwide
By Jolene Hawkins day of generations will be able to look backward in remembrance. gratitude to those who “The 30th of gave their lives in the May, 1868, is designated defense of the liberties for the purpose of and privileges which strewing flowers or they are enjoying now. otherwise decorating In 1883, here in the graves of comrades Springville, the GAR who died in defense of auxiliary, the Women’s their country during the Relief Corp requested late rebellion, and whose flowers from ladies in bodies now lie in almost the village so they could every city, village and make arrangements and hamlet churchyard in the wreaths to be laid on land,” he proclaimed. the graves of the fallen The date of Decoration veterans and nurses who Day, as he called it, was died during and since the chosen because it was Civil War. The Women’s not the anniversary of Relief Corp is still active any particular battle. We and still makes wreaths want to remember them, to be laid on the graves he said. Not a man is to of the veterans. be forgotten, the officers By 1901, the parade have been written about route had grown to and statues of them put include the Soldier’s up so that the succeeding Monument, which
years that realistically nothing much has happened down here,” he said. “I fixed that exact same spot twice… it just needs constant maintenance down there.” Drozd said he is ashamed of the condition of the road now. He said the crew employees who worked under him are ashamed of the condition, too. During the pubic discussion portion of the meeting, County Legislator John Mills reported on the roads and infrastructure in the Concord area, noting that the roads the county is responsible for are in rough shape. Mills said that several roads in the town are scheduled to be worked on this summer, according to tony Scolese, the highway department engineer at the East Concord site. These roads would include Abbott Hill Road, Brown Hill Road, Emerling Road and South Vaughn Street. A bridge replacement is also scheduled for Trevett Road at Route 39. According to Mills, the county is working on opening Trevett Road back up soon after a closure last year due to heavy washout. “Heavy duty patching” is also lined up for Zoar Valley Road.
Photo by Kellen M. Quigley Trevett Road in the town of Concord has been closed for several months now, and the detour around it from Route 39 to Zoar Valley Road has emergency responders worried that the failure to fix the road may lose someone their life.
“I’ve been trying to get the state to work with us and the federal government to work with us,” Mills said. “To do that road right, it would cost $22 million dollars. … We have people from all over the country and sometimes the world visit that pristine area. Don’t you think it’s common sense to have a good road to get there?” Firemen Steve Bugary and Bob Darling of the Morton Corners Fire District explained that the fire company has been having problems serving the residents in that area because of Trevett and Groth roads being closed. They said the fire company has to come into Springville and take an alternate route
around, which could take as long as 10 minutes and not save somebody in time. Mills said that he is working with the county on trying to get emergency funding for Groth Road and that the Trevett Road project is in the design stage now. Having things on the record such as petitions, calling the County Executive, flooding social media — “be the squeaky wheel” — is the way to help get something done. Those who wish to submit a petition or do a writing letter campaign can do so at the Concord Town Hall with Town Clerk Darlene Schweikert or with Nancy Heath in Mill’s county office.
A Look Back:
Memorial Day
was put up in 1891. A beautiful statue of Quincy granite, that was 27 feet high and 8 feet across with a Union Soldier on top, stopping there first to decorate the monument.
They then headed up Main Street to Maplewood Cemetery where a ceremony, with a speaker, happened before they laid the wreaths and flowers on the graves, then to processed to
the GAR log cabin for a meal put on by the Women’s Relief Corp. In 1919, The American Legion was formed, with the Auxiliary being formed the following See A Look Back page 2