Editor, The Spotlight:
The planned sports complex to be located next to the Memory Gardens Cemetery on Watervliet Shaker Road seems to disregard any sense of responsibility for maintaining the dignity and respect of this beautiful, well maintained cemetery. My parents are buried there, and my wife and I have plots next to them. Those plots were purchased in the early 1950’s.
Imagine attending a funeral or visiting a grave site and having a soccer ball bounce off someone, or having to deal the noise and commotion of a ball game just yards away.
Think about the spectators and players walking through the cemetery, leaving behind trash, cigarette butts, desecrating the graves, knocking over wreaths and vases — to say nothing of the vandalism that will surely occur. It is unthinkable, and for those who don’t care it’s shameful.
If this project is approved, there must be provisions to maintain a tree lined buffer zone between the complex and the cemetery. Further, a 12’ high privacy wall running from Watervliet Shaker Road to the back of the cemetery must be constructed. If the developer can spend millions to build this complex, he can surely afford to build the necessary protections for the cemetery. He has conveniently omitted those considerations so far.
It would be appalling and irresponsible for Colonie to approve the sports complex without proper measures to safeguard the privacy of this very special place. Please do the right thing.
Reid Jewett
Crossville, Tenn.