MY VIEW
James W. Richardson: East Aurora still great despite construction
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Coming home from college, whether for a semester break or a weekend, was always something to look forward to: mom’s cooking, my own bed . . . I could go on.
But one of the best parts of returning to Western New York was seeing my hometown of East Aurora again. I guess when you’re a born-and-raised native, you take much for granted until you’ve lived elsewhere.
As an avid pedestrian, I can’t help but appreciate the walkability of East Aurora. The village has a great blend of quiet neighborhoods, historic sites, stores, parks and coffee shops — all linked by miles of sidewalk.
Anyone who knows me well knows it’s not uncommon to see me walking on Main Street or one of the quieter side streets, camera bag slung over my shoulder. The blend of nature, history and architecture in East Aurora offers some unprecedented photo ops.
But, starting last summer and going on into this spring, my favored stomping grounds began to look more and more like a war zone. Sidewalks have been closed and demolished. Traffic flow is rerouted a different direction every day on Main Street. And speaking of Main Street, the potholes and bumps are enough to make even a Prius driver consider buying a Hummer for durability’s sake!
And then the beautiful, stately trees lining Main began disappearing as well. While winter offered a little break, the construction is again in full force.
Several weeks ago, The News published an informative article that described the construction plan, its necessity and how the village has seemingly come under siege in the midst of it.
I must admit, taking walks in the village is not nearly as pleasant with detours, closed sidewalks and temporary rough blacktop replacing once-smooth concrete. The dust and dirt on the streets make hiking boots a better choice than sneakers. But through all of this, I continue to find a way to walk. The only time I had second thoughts was when I tripped over a construction fence and fell into a mud puddle. But I got over it.
The News cited concerns that local businesses are likely to suffer losses with the street being so pedestrian- and driver-unfriendly. What needs to be realized about East Aurora is that the village is linked by a fantastic grid-like road system. While Main Street is not the most pleasant place to drive a convertible right now, there are parallel side streets that remain unscathed.
The side streets offer plenty of parking and well-kept, quiet village neighborhoods. Main Street — with all of its shopping, dining and entertainment — is but a few blocks away.
So while things in East Aurora aren’t ideal, I continue to wear out my shoes pounding the pavement around town. I keep on supporting my favorite local businesses, and I keep on adding to my photography collection. I make sure I park somewhere off Main Street rather than subject my car to the punishing pavement, and I often favor side streets for walks over the mayhem on Main.
Infrastructure is something that wears out over time. New pipelines, along with a resurfaced roadway, have been long overdue in this village. I’ll keep on enjoying my hometown, knowing that the nuisances of today ultimately are going to yield a better village by this fall. Quite honestly, I can’t wait to see the finished product.
In the meantime, I’ll keep taking walks, and I’ll try to avoid any more run-ins with puddles of mud.
Published: June 23, 2009, 12:30 am