Beautiful Lighting on North Ocean Avenue

Don't blame Patchogue Village for putting up the lights. The Restoration Project is actually part of a Federal Grant. Our Village applied for the grant, and the entire job , from design to installation, was done by a Federal Contractor. The only problem, is that the designer, came up with a design, that was "Before It's Time." My wife says that the lights are ugly, and the people at our last NW Meeting laughed at the layout of the lights! Someone said it looked like an "Landing Strip!" I haven't seen any planes trying to land lately! Ha! Ha! I just sat back and smiled! Now why would I do a thing like that?

In the past, my main complaint about Patchogue Village has been it's inability to foster change. Year after year, new ideas were dismissed; ideas that would "allow our village to take a breath of Fresh Air!" Change, is a fact of life; if we don't move along with it, we will eventually be swept away! This is absolutely true for business, life, and even government! Will Rogers said, "Even if you are on the right track, you will still get run over, if you are not moving forward."

When I look at the lights, I do not see "ugly lights;" I see the entire project as essential motion, that is necessary for the "well being" of our village! As an engineer I realize that almost every project will have minor problems. The important thing is that we now possess hundreds of Street Lights, valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars. I could see moving every other light from North Ocean Avenue, to locations in our village that will create Pedestrian Malls, that would give our residents, public locations, in which to relax, have some Ice Cream, read the Newspaper, or just socialize with friends and neighbors.

Europeans are "light years ahead of us," in the way that they deal with their lives. In Patchogue, we have dinner, and then sit on our couches, and watch TV. Not very social! In Munich, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, Salzburg, Paris, Venice, and almost every other European venue, they eat dinner, and then go to the "Pedestrian Mall Locations, to relax and socialize. That's the way life should be!

I smile because those "Ugly Lights," represent a change in attitude, and a change in vision! Our current slate of officials and volunteers, does indeed have the vision and courage, to allow change; which will help to usher our village into the Twenty First Century. Kudos to the village residents that have the courage to move forward on behalf of "Our Village."

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More Information 11/21/07

I have just received some new information to bolster my case. On Halloween Night the Lighted area on North Ocean Avenue, would traditionally attract about one hundred "Trick or Treaters." It appears that because of the new lighting, Six Hundred "Trick or Treaters," showed up. It is obvious that the lighting has attracted many people. And now the Bad News! As I have been told, many of the residents of North Ocean Avenue, like the new lighting; they are not about to give them up! Ha! Ha! Poetic Justice! That's what you get for "badmouthing" those beautiful lights!

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