The old coot walks a different path.
By Merlin Lessler
My walking stick and I
took a stroll through the village the other day. I walked along a smooth, paved
route on Front and Main Streets. At times, I had to veer around a vehicle
parked in my way, but otherwise, it was an uneventful stroll along a macadam
surface. Off to my left was a narrow strip of grass adjacent to a mix of cement
and slate surfaces that most pedestrians were walking on.
I don’t know what they
were thinking! Facing obstacles that lie in wait, like those in a steeplechase racecourse:
slate squares and concrete slabs with raised edges, realigned by nature and
tree roots to trip young and old alike. Disrupting an otherwise peaceful stroll,
past a string of lovely historic homes that define the character of the
village. It’s the magic that draws visitors to our town, to shop, to stroll, to
lull in peace and escape an otherwise chaotic world, unaware of the dangers
that may lurk along their route.
But it wasn’t always
like this. There was a time when it was safe to walk through the village, on level
sidewalks. Homeowners and village officials were charged with the
responsibility to keep them safe. The homeowners, to fix the slabs that caused a
tripping hazard, and the village, to cite a code violation when they didn’t
comply. The village, at times, shared in the repair or replacement cost, if that
year’s board adopted it as a policy. Most homeowners today don’t even know the
sidewalk in front of their house is their responsibility. But the village
government does, and appears they choose not to enforce the code and allow tripping
hazards to exist.
The state DOT redid the
17-C section of Front Street in 1986, including the curbs and sidewalks.
Homeowners were given the option of keeping their slate slabs along the front
of their lot or change to new concrete slabs, tinted to match the darker color
of slate. Old slates were leveled, and new concrete was poured. That was 38
years ago, leading to the challenging conditions we now live with. Maybe our
village officials and homeowners will step to the plate, but in the meantime,
I’ll be traveling along the safer path. That’s what old coots do.
Comments? Send to
mlessler7@gmail.com
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