At the Halfmoon planning board meeting on Monday, July 24, the board heard an update about plans for expanding the use of a sportsplex at 6 Corporate Drive in Clifton Park.
John Daniels, general manager of the project, has provided an analysis of a recent traffic study to prove that the residents of Saratoga County would not be burdened by or at risk from traffic flow and parking at the sportsplex. For the past year, Daniels and his team had been making observations of the facility and the surrounding area.
Members involved with this project have proposed future parking tactics that would accommodate an additional 200 vehicles in the case of large scale, or public events. Parking attendants would be assigned to direct vehicles to appropriate parking lots in order to avoid congestion and prevent unauthorized parking.
Board member Rich Berkowitz was concerned about pedestrian crossings. Daniels assured the board that safety precautions would be in effect, including issuing a 35 mile per hour speed limit, constructing sidewalks adjacent to parking lots, and posting crosswalk signs.
The 76,000 square-foot venue, located at Route 9 and Sitterly Road, is expected to draw audiences of various proportions for an array of shows and entertainment. Home furnishings, boat expositions, trade shows such as plumbing, and other low-key events, mostly fall sports events to round out the year, Daniels confirmed, are some of the more typical attractions intended to be held at the complex.
`It would be exciting to hold entertaining events here, instead of down in Albany or Rensselaer County or Glens Falls because it brings a lot of attraction here to Clifton Park,` Daniels said. `Some of the benefits that we believe will come from this project are sales tax revenues and more people coming to the greater Capital District. It gives locals something new to do that is right in their backyards so they don’t have to drive up to Lake George to see boat shows and things like that.`
A public information hearing will be held at a later date so that people who live and work or own businesses along Route 9 and Sitterly Road will have an opportunity to come in and make statements relative to any con-cerns or methodology.
`Residents are very supportive and very excited,` Daniels said. `I have received no negative feedback on this matter and anticipate few difficulties in getting this project under way.“
