What's your vision?

What do you want your neighborhood to be in the next 10 years? What Could it Be Like? What Should it Be Like?

The Helderberg Neighborhood Association will sponsor one of its “special” additional neighborhood meetings on Wednesday, Oct. 15, to do some brainstorming about what we residents and business owners would like to see our neighborhood be like in the coming years — a visioning meeting. The meeting will be participatory in nature, so please bring your thoughts and ideas with you. It will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Sage College of Albany, Campus Center at Academy Road, where our regular HNA meetings are held.

The idea for holding a special, participatory discussion on what we would like to see for our neighborhood, and ultimately, for the greater city, is in part, a response to and preparation for the beginning of the City of Albany’s city-wide comprehensive plan and planning process that is underway in its initial stages. Further, October is National Planning Month per the American Planning Association, and our neighborhood is a great, walkable, livable neighborhood that is a model for other neighborhoods and outside communities — if we can sustain all of its great qualities. Here are some suggested topics for the October meeting, for a robust discussion on these and other issues that participants are encouraged bring to the table:

• Is our great neighborhood prepared for the changes going on in the city? We are fortunate to be receiving significant public investments in public buildings in our neighborhood: the renovation of School 19 is nearly complete, with a January 2009 anticipated opening; and the John S. Bach Library construction next to the fire house on New Scotland Avenue is slated to be open in 2010. And likewise, some amazing private investments are occurring as we speak: the $500 million expansion of St. Peter’s Hospital at one end of our neighborhood, and the same large scale investment is underway at Albany Medical Center and the Park South neighborhood to the other end.
  
• Are we ready to embrace potential changes at the St. Teresa of Avila Church and School campus, located in the heart of our neighborhood?
  
• Will our small, locally owned and operated businesses be able to adjust and thrive amidst all the changes happening around our neighborhood?
  
• How can we support the growing numbers of our neighbors who are earning a living working out of their home?
  
• How can we support the folks near or into retirement being able to continue to live their lives in our great neighborhood?
  
• Is there enough green space for our children in the neighborhood and the city?
  
• How can we secure enhancements to our neighborhood and the greater city for pedestrian and bicyclists to safely travel? How can we support mass transit in Albany?
  
• Can we reduce/manage the commuter traffic, by encouraging more employees to live in our neighborhood and city?
  
• Ultimately, how can we work with and improve our relationships with the City of Albany and other partners and neighborhoods to keep our great neighborhood going, and to support the strengthening of not only our neighborhood, but the whole city?

As our neighborhood has never been the subject of any comprehensive study or analysis, it seems like a great opportunity to meet and share ideas about why we moved to this neighborhood (and/or decided to stay in this neighborhood), what we like and love about our neighborhood, and what are the issues and concerns we have today and looking to the future. This meeting could be a great discussion for us to start to really focus as a group on what our shared goals are — and maybe we’ll find constructive, doable ways to keep improving this great neighborhood — by working together.

If you would like to help us prepare or have suggestions for this visioning discussion, please contact Jennifer Viggiani at 489-3824 or jvigg2005@yahoo.com.

Originally published in the September-October edition of the HNA Reporter newsletter.
 

Photos of annual picnic

It was a new location at the Sage College of Albany, but the annual Helderberg Neighborhood Association's fall picnic was another success.


 

New location, same great picnic

The Helderberg Neighborhood Association held its annual picnic at a new location today — Sage College of Albany graciously allowed us to use their great lawn at Academy Road and New Scotland Avenue.

Though the site was new, HNA continued its same great tradition of barbecue food, salads and of course ice cream. Our neighborhood businesses were, as always, very generous with their donations to this event.

Check back later for more photos. Thanks to our neighbors who came out, had fun and continue to support our association.
 

Annual picnic coming Wednesday at Sage

The Helderberg Neighborhood Association's annual fall picnic is scheduled for this Wednesday, Sept. 17, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The new location is the grassy lawn in front of Sage College of Albany at the intersection of New Scotland Avenue and Academy Road.

The picnic is moving from its traditional spot next to Engine 11 because of the Fall 2008 anticipated groundbreaking for the construction of the new library branch.

Everyone in the neighborhood is invited, and we encourage all to bring a dish to share (remember to label your plate with your name, address and phone number).

Our local business have been very generous (as always) in donating for our traditional picnic raffle. A 50/50 raffle is also planned.

If you are unable to walk to the picnic, parking will be available at the Campus Center parking area (off Academy Road) — it's the same lot we use on our regular HNA meeting night.

The rain date for the picnic is Saturday, Sept. 17, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.


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September-October Newsletter released

The September-October edition of the HNA Reporter is out and delivery has been ongoing door-to-door. Read about our upcoming annual picnic at a new location this year, our Neighborhood Vision Discussion next month, articles on slate roof repairs and the latest Membership Report.