September 2, 2016 by The City Review New Rochelle

THE

CityREVIEW NewRochelle September 2, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 24 | www.cityreviewnr.com

Resident looks to provide free Wi-Fi in city parks

The Westchester Knicks, the official NBA Development League affiliate of the New York Knicks, will tip off its third season at the Westchester County Center in White Plains on Saturday, Nov. 19. The team’s scheduled has just been released. For info, see page 15. Photo courtesy The Westchester Knicks

By SIBYLLA CHIPAZIWA Editorial Assistant

Legislators condemn Rye’s Playland Article 78 By JAMES PERO Staff Writer Amidst a mounting legal battle between the city of Rye and Westchester County over proposed capital improvements to Playland, many county lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle have continued to assert the county’s authority over the park’s future. The county Board of Legislators’ Litigation Committee, which convened on Aug. 25, has already rejected Rye’s claims that the county had mishandled SEQRA procedure, as well as claims

that the county failed to inform the city of developments at the amusement park. “If the county were to cede that responsibility to the city of Rye, it would establish an improper and likely deleterious precedent for all the other county park properties throughout Westchester,” said Legislator Lyndon Williams, a Mount Vernon Democrat. “This precedent could greatly increase the timeline for all county renovations and repairs.” Rye Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican, as well as Michael Gerrard, an attorney retained by the

city who drafted the city’s initial notification of its intent to file an Article 78, have repeatedly claimed that the city has been kept in the dark throughout the process of formalizing projects at the park. “People have differing opinions of what’s been offered and what’s on the table,” said Rye City Councilwoman Julie Killian, a Republican. “The whole thing could benefit from sitting in a room to talk, as opposed to corresponding by email, so that there’s no misrepresentation of what a ‘seat at the table’ actually means.”

According to Rye City Attorney Kristen Wilson, now that both sides have firmly taken stances, the county will have until Sept. 23 to submit its arguments to a New York State Supreme Court judge. She told the Review there is no current estimate on when the judge will render a decision. If Rye wins its Article 78, the county would be forced to return back to the drawing board and undergo an entire environmental review process for projects at the park once again. PLAYLAND continued on page 8

A New Rochelle resident is looking to help city youth become more technologically sound by setting up free Wi-Fi in at least two parks starting in the spring. Terrance Jackson, a four-year resident of the city, wants to give back by helping to promote tech skills to youths. He founded a nonprofit organization called StartUpTown to help small businesses and startups, which are new business ventures. The nonprofit also aims to develop entrepreneurial businesses, teach people to get jobs in such ventures, and to encourage the support of local businesses in places like the Bronx and lower Westchester County. StartUpTown also aims to promote technology in various communities. “Research shows that communities that have a vibrant, small business [aspect] are healthier, and home values are higher,” Jackson said. Jackson, along with fellow New Rochelle resident Clayton Banks—the co-founder of Silicon Harlem, a social venture that aims to transform Harlem into a “tech and innovation hub”—decided to help bridge the gap between poor and rich students in New Rochelle by providing one thing that has become a necessity today: the ability to access the Internet, and for free. Two city parks are in Jackson’s sights: Lincoln Park and

Ruby Dee Park, located near the New Rochelle Public Library. Both are open from dawn to dusk. There are already various locations downtown with Wi-Fi access; however, such hotspots may require a cable subscription and/or a password. Other places, including the library, have limited operating hours, an issue for some schoolchildren who may not have Internet access at or close to home. New Rochelle has a child poverty rate of 14.5 percent, according to U.S. Census Bureau 2015 data. “[The parks] are just a starting point to promote an idea, as they are community places,” Jackson said, since many residents and visitors meet to socialize in these spaces. Jackson was inspired by the Red Hook Initiative, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit organization that provides programs and long-term services for youth development in the Red Hook neighborhood. The nonprofit has a community program called Red Hook WIFI that provides free Internet access in the neighborhood. The Red Hook program also trains young adults, called Digital Stewards, to use technology to improve their and other lives in the community. Jackson said that he hopes to develop a similar program in New Rochelle and throughout Westchester, and is looking to contact the nonprofit should the Wi-Fi in parks WI-FI continued on page 8