Special Board of Aldermen 12-07-2021 Page 5
property abutting the park and property on the park. A gentleman back here | overheard said is a difference without
distinction. Frequent users of Mine Falls Park will tell you that the area over by Whipple Street where UPS is was
drastically affected by the clear cutting that took place over there. Trails that were very lushly populated by wooded
area immediately now abut an industrial area. It does make a difference. Just because it's not in the park doesn't
mean it doesn't affect the park. We still have an opportunity. | support this legislation. | support going forward with
aggressively trying to purchase this land and preserving Greeley Park. Thank you
Chairman Dowd
Anyone else like to speak in favor of this legislation? By the way, a lot of these things that you're pointing out if the
purchase does go through, all of these things you're pointing out should be brought up to the Planning Board because
they make all the decisions that you are now talking about. Those decisions are not made by the Board of Aldermen.
If the property were available for purchase, then the Board of Aldermen can take actions to try and purchase it. At the
moment, it's not available for purchase but if it does go through the developer and he did say today that they are going
through with the development, they will still have to go through the Planning Board and the Planning Board can be
heard on all the things that you're talking about tonight. Okay.
Andrea Rebeck
Thank you. My name is Andrea Rebeck. | live at 111 Atherton Avenue in Nashua, Ward 3. | agree with those who
feel the chance to add these 13 forested acres to Greeley Park is a rare opportunity that the city of Nashua should not
pass up. But I'm going to address a couple of other points tonight. One financial, one technical. Many opposed to
creating this bond. We haven't heard from them yet but I'm assuming that they are concerned about the debt that the
city is incurring with a bond like this, spending more of our tax dollars, and frankly I'm concerned about that too. But |
also know that a city that does not invest in improvements is a city that is dying. Nashua is definitely not dying. The
city has invested heavily in creating housing downtown, has benefits to the business community which needs more
housing to attract and retain its workers. The city is helping to pay for our new performing arts center, which benefits
all of us who enjoy the performing arts.
| understand there's another bond being considered tonight for $21 million for riverwalk improvements. Wow. $21
million dollars. Well a lot of us enjoy hiking along the riverwalk. So supporting a bond that's about 1/10 the size of this
one is actually a small investment in a very important development for Greeley Park. As Alderman Clemons said last
night when | watched him on Zoom, Greeley Park is not a neighborhood park. It belongs to the entire city as you have
heard. | used to live in Ward 8 and believe me, | enjoyed Greeley Park while | lived there and | enjoy it even more
now. And since it does serve the entire city as the city grows, the park should grow. And about the only place it can
grow is the subject of this bond proposal.
Now what to do if the owners don't want to sell to us? Well, there's not much we can do. It's their property. But I'll tell
you as a retired architect who has been involved with several developers and has reviewed many site plans, from just
a quick glance at the one presented to us by this developer, this plan has problems. There are numerous technical
issues that need to be resolved before it can be approved and many changes will be required.
Alderman O’Brien
30 seconds.
Andrea Rebeck
I've seen developers walk away when faced by these requirements. So | would urge the Board to keep its options
open in terms of a bond to purchase the property. Thank you.
Chairman Dowd
Anyone else that would like to be heard in favor of this legislation?
Robert Lodi
Thank you Mr. Chairman. Robert Lodi, 12 Bartlett Avenue. Appreciate the opportunity to come and address you
tonight. One point | want to make with respect to Mr. Geisinger’s comments. | understand he sent a letter to you with
respect to this that he's going to move forward. On November 17* he stood up in front of 60 residents, | think some of
you may have been here, | know it was recorded, and he told us a number of things. One of which is if the city
