TUSTEN, NY — Given that the Tusten Town Board didn’t take up the proposed pavilion at its November 14 meeting, are plans still moving forward?

Town supervisor Ben Johnson says yes. He gave an update on the project and the next steps that will bring it closer to completion.

• Because the project is in the river corridor, the Upper Delaware Council (UDC) must determine if it complies with the river management plan. The current 24-foot-by-30-foot rendering will be submitted to the UDC for review.
• If the UDC approves the plan, the board will vote on whether to put the project out to bid for construction.
• The bids, if solicited, will be submitted to the board, which will then determine whether to move forward.

If the pavilion moves forward, it will include at least one flush toilet to comply with building codes updated in 2021, Johnson said.

The November 14 meeting saw many new faces, bringing in a number of parents who expressed their appreciation for the Tusten Youth organization and their support for the pavilion as a way the town can support kids and families. 

“It’s not that there are no children in this town,” said one resident, a mother of two. “It’s that people don’t go to that park. And now after living here three years I know why, because that park is just not functional.”

The park has no shade, she said, and no bathroom, which her three-year-old needs. “I really hope you will recognize the importance of having a functional park for the kids,” she said. “Because when you think about it, a playground is where kids create their memories and cherish those memories for the rest of their life. And for me, I hope that my kids too will bring their own kids to the park and tell them how much they loved growing up in this town.”

Pros and cons

Since August, the pavilion has been a divisive issue in town. Signs on Narrowsburg’s Main Street and on town roads read, “Plant trees not pavilions.”

Some of the reasons residents have given for not wanting the pavilion include increased traffic and limited parking, noise, the long-term cost of maintenance and the potential it will increase taxes, the potential for the structure to attract crime, and frustration over other, older projects at the ballfield that residents claim have not been completed or maintained, such as the walking path and flower beds.

On the plus side, aside from amenities like shade and a bathroom, pro-pavilion residents say that an outdoor meeting place for families will foster a sense of community that currently does not exist. It could serve as a venue for graduation and birthday parties, and even bring in revenue. And it will be a good place for kids to exercise and play. 

By the time the project is ready to be sent out to bid, the board will most likely have changed, based on the November election.

Cass Collins, who will be new to the board, in a previous meeting suggested buying a pre-built pavilion to save money. Jane Luchsinger, who secured the grant for the pavilion, did not run for reelection.