OT - "What's good for Siena . . "

[statefan]

There's an article in the print Times Union today that i couldn't find in the on-line edition. It is about Siena's application to the Town of Colonie to install lights on their new lacrosse (and possibly ) other fields. Apparantly the lights are higher than the zoning law allows and there was a hearing on their request for a variance. A bunch of neighbors and community folks showed up and objected. In response, reportedly, the Siena attorney stated "What's good for Siena is good for the community"

 

Does everyone agree?

[UAalum72]

Under Albany county news, more stories

Siena, neighbors at odds over lights

 

I might agree, but since I don't live in Loudonville, not as much as I would with 'what's good for the University at Albany is good for Albany County' ...

[UA_MA_2000]

There's an article in the print Times Union today that i couldn't find in the on-line edition. It is about Siena's application to the Town of Colonie to install lights on their new lacrosse (and possibly ) other fields. Apparantly the lights are higher than the zoning law allows and there was a hearing on their request for a variance. A bunch of neighbors and community folks showed up and objected. In response, reportedly, the Siena attorney stated "What's good for Siena is good for the community"

 

Does everyone agree?

 

I do not agree with making broad-based comments like as a matter of course, and even if I did agree with Siena in this example (and I probably do), I certainly would not make a statement like that. It insults, IMHO, the readers and local citizens for one thing. Give them real evidence of why the lights can help their community --- not rhetoric! There are plenty of reasons that we here can even think of that would support the installation of lights on the Siena campus. Heck, I could even reason that a stronger Siena LAX program might help an even stronger UAlbany program and turn this area into a real hotbed and destination for LAX recruits!

 

The comment is just ad hoc and result-oriented. Likewise, what is good for UAlbany is not necessarily always good for the City of Albany. That is why, for example, the Unviersity is currently going through the environmental impact statement for the new football stadium.

 

If it were me arguing for Siena and its sought-after installation of lights, I would try to at least come up with something halfway intelligent like: "With lights for the new stadium, we will be able to host night games, and therefore, draw many more fans. More fans in the evenings will be able to stimulate local business, including restaurants, gas stations, etc. And increased traffic at 7pm or later will not be an issue since that area is more than capable of handling the rush-hour traffic that it currently sees. Moreover, if we had our own lighting system, we would not ever have to rely on the gracious and superior UAlbany for use of its field, thereby saving the state institution some money (I am assuming that when Siena uses UA's field that they do not pay UAlbany for its use and that UA must undertake some sort of upkeep or cleanup of the field and area after games; but I have no evidence of these issues whatsoever)."

 

There, I just came up with that supporting statement in about 30 seconds of thought. I am confident Siena could do the same (and maybe they did).

[UAalum72]

Didn't see in the papers, but TV-13 reported last night that under pressure from local residents, Siena's request for a variance was denied.

[Patch]

They could always rent our facilities for some night contests.

[bob87]

They could always rent our facilities for some night contests.

 

 

I think it would be more appropriate for Siena to play their home games at a high school field. Didn't their football team use to play at CBA. Maybe some more of their teams could play at CBA, Colonie or Clifton Park.