Dear YWN,
An issue that deserves your coverage, is the upcoming referendum in the Town of Ramapo on the new 3,500-5,000-seat baseball stadium at the corner of Route 45 and Pomona Road. The frum communities in New Hempstead and Pomona will be greatly affected by the Friday and Saturday games, rock concerts, fireworks and huge increase in traffic filling a new 900-space parking lot. Tens of acres of trees have already been cut in the Rockland countryside on the 61-acre site to make room for night-time glare and crowd noise.
Just as these communities were starting to thrive, what will the future bring now?
Please click HERE to read more about the planned stadium on the Journal News website.
N.R., Monsey.
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
22 Responses
Its ok to build schools and shuls on every corner but its not ok to build a stadium?
Jews (much to their chagrin) don’t own the greater Monsey area.
Who cares
it’s not in the jewish community it’s barely even the outskirts of the jewish community.
I think I would rather have that stadium than what they’ve done and are doing along rt. 306.
The project on rt. 45 will likely have no affect on the frum community whatsoever.
I am sure the Square and Viznitz will back this stadium. It’s a perfect place for them to make Chasunah’s and the traffic, noise, pollution won’t affect them.
They run the show here, get over it.
If taxes don’t get hiked, sounds very exciting!
I live about about a mile and a half from the proposed Stadium site. As someone who lives in the area i’m not sure if i’m for it or against it , it,s too early to tell. Don’t see much downside. Its gonna be a Ramapo field so i’m hopeful the Ramapo residents are gonna get some use out of it. Thats great for Pierchi baseball!! Not to mention bringing in the likes of Lipa and other quality kosher entertainment to the area.
One thing is for sure,there are no frum jews living anywhere within a mile of this site. Nor is there even one shul or yeshiva within two miles of this site. It is not along any walking route to any shul or along the way to any place that anyone from the frum community would frequent on shabbos, its just too far out there. And who’s really worried about night time glare? I highly doubt yiddden from monsey are worried about cutting down some trees in Pomona.
As far as the traffic, there are plenty of alternate routes for the locals to choose from, plenty of options. The site is not along a major artery or route that the frum community relies on. it’s on the outskirts of town. no traffic jam will effect there daily travel. Not worried about the congestion.
Finally some tax dollars that can be somewhat useful to the frum community! Looks like its gonna happen anyway so we just have to wait and see how things turn out.
Its about time everyone woke up and realized this IS NOT your country, and every time something is a little bit uncomfortable for you, you dont have to go around making a big stink about it.
SJS,
To respond to your “brilliant/ poignant” comment, please note:
1) The shuls and schools are built by, and for the use of, the people in those neighborhoods, not so the stadium.
2) Jews do own property and pay taxes in the greater Monsey area, are they not entitled to voice their opinion?
3) The stadium is to be paid for ultimately by the tax payers, hence the opposition to subjecting the tax payers to additional taxes. The shuls and schools (if they are private and not public schools) are paid for by individuals or communities, not by levying taxes. Big difference.
4) The shuls and schools are subjected to much opposition by people who do not even live in the areas where they are being built, why do you not protest that?
5) Why do you think that the protests against the stadium are a Jewish issue at all? Do you think that only the letter writer, who I would presume is Jewish, is the only voice protesting this?
6) Do you not think that there is just a slight difference between a stadium and a shul or school? Stadiums are almost always built in commercial areas and generally in the seedier parts of town, not in the midst of residential areas. Schools and shuls are built in, or immediately adjacent to residential areas. Look at the uproar in Coney Island area where an arena was built near residential areas while being itself in an area designated for public space. There have been big quality of life issues because of it.
7) The tone of your comments about shuls is very similar in many ways to those posted on the LOHUD website, not something to be proud of unless you are a rabid anti-semite. And anyone who has read those comments will agree that calling the comments anti -semitic is in no way exaggeration.
8) If you will further read the hateful comments on LOHUD, you will see in fact that many of the comments blame this specifically on the Jews. To paraphrase the gist of many comments, they think that the hasids (“Men in black, people with lice ladders down the side of their faces, to quote just some of names they use) want this built and then transferred to them. So your comment is ironic in that in the eyes’ of the haters, the frum yidden in Monsey are darned if they do and darned if they don’t.
Pretty amazing how your two line comment can, say so much about you, and, be so wrong in so many ways.
Congratulations. Good thing Elul is almost here, this way you will remember to ask mechila from the people you just maligned.
Jose,
I know plenty about Monsey politics.
Yes, shuls are built with private money. The land then becomes tax free, taking away a tax base. As an aside, many people DO complain about the traffic caused by many shuls and schools built in the community. If the overall community is willing to deal with additional traffic, this traffic (as rightly pointed out above is not even really in a Jewish area) which is beneficial to the town at large should be accepted.
Where did I ever say I think the people who protest shuls and schools being built is the right thing? I don’t. I support the building of schools and shuls as long as its done according to law.
Why did I think the protester was Jewish? He wrote “Dear YWN” – I thought this was a frum website. I think that is a fair assumption on my part.
I don’t associate with the anti-semites on LOHUD. I don’t take responsibility for them. I am my own person.
In the last 15 years or so, Monsey has exploded with frum Jews (a great thing). Since we are a large portion of the local population, we often forget that there are other people living in Ramapo as well. They have needs and rights.
As such, I think its YOU who owe ME mechilah. I did not malign anyone. I made specific and fair comments. You however decided to judge my intent. I await your apology.
sjs when you make specific comments you have to live with how they are perceived.
when it quacks like a duck…
SJS,
The issue with taxes affects those in the neighborhood who are benefitting from the shuls and that is part of what they pay taxes for, the use of the resources in the town of which houses of worship and schools are part of.
The benefit for the people of Ramapo with having a stadium has not yet been fully demonstrated, the letter writer feels, and he is free to express his concerns, that the benefit would be far outweighed by the decline in the quality of life. The traffic will very much impact all those who live in Forshay, New Hempstead, Pomona, Wesley Hills and New Square, it is right by one of the local entrances to the Palisades (Exit 12). There is a growing jewish population in that area as well.
Your comment was comparing the shuls to the stadium and taking issue with an assumedly frum jew protesting the stadium which is very much within his rights. Just because there are others who live in Monsey/ Ramapo precludes a Jew’s right to speak up? I fail to see any logic in this, unless you come from the point of view of Preserve Ramapo or the posters on LOHUD. In fact, the protests are coming from the non frum people of Ramapo as well. There does not seem to be Frum vs. the needs of the Non Frum in this writer’s position at all. Yet, that was the very thrust of your second sentence, how can he possibly protest the stadium.
You have not at all justified that comment of yours, and it cannot be justified. You were alluding to the fact that the Frum people of Monsey will only speak up if it is in direct opposition of the wants/needs of the non jews. And I proved to you that such is not the case, certainly not in this instance. This is when you maligned the yidden of Monsey.
I was not asking you to take responsibility for the posters on LOHUD, I was asking why your comments mirror theirs.
You made comments that were not fair at all based on the facts. It seems that you will not the facts get in the way of your complaint.
I am sorry if you feel you deserve an apology for having the illogic of you comment pointed out, but it is not warranted. You say that I OWE you mechilah, I am unaware of such a concept, however I will be Moichel you. I cannot answer for all the others you need mechilah from.
The letter writer is free to voice his complaint. I am free to disagree with him.
When frum Jews complain about traffic issues with building, I wonder if they take into consideration that shuls and schools contribute to much more traffic than one stadium. Hence, my comment relating to shuls and schools. Jews hate the opposition to their buildings, but are not as free with warranting building that will be built for the general population.
And yes, there is a general, overall attitude in Monsey that since Jews are the majority they control the area. Its not everyone, but it definitely is an undertone.
I’m not asking you mechilah. I don’t need mechilah from you because I didn’t do anything wrong to you. You are trying to call me out on something I didn’t say. You are judging me based on pre-concieved notions.
Arc, feel free to percieve my comments in any which way you would like. That doesn’t make you right though.
SJS,
“And yes, there is a general, overall attitude in Monsey that since Jews are the majority they control the area.”
How is that germane to the letter above?
And, frankly, that is called democracy.
“I’m not asking you mechilah.” Yet in your comment above you say “I think its YOU who owe ME mechilah.” That’s a direct quote.
You have not established a basis for your disagreement. Your comment was effectively saying, it may be good for the non-jews, how dare you complain.
That is not a legitimate counter argument, the writer is free to try to petition against this even if everyone is for it. Does not mean that he will get his way, but he is free to raise his objections. And the facts do not support the basis of your disagreement. And people likely do consider the convinience of having a shul local over any traffic or other issues it may involve. That is called a cost benefit analysis. And there are hearings and approvals by the planning and zoning boards before shuls and schools are built. Trust me, the neighbors are contacted and their issues are addressed.
Jose why so angry? Give SJS a break!!!
You obviously do not live anywhere near this stadium- based on your facts it sounds like You prob. live in deep monsey anyway so why do you care about a stadium cross tonw? You have your facts all wrong- There is NO growing community within a mile+ of exit 12 – check the map the jews cant spread anywhere near there – there is only golf courses, commercial space, parks, and highways. I fail to see how people in forshay are gonna be effected by this stadium any more than RCC effects forshay now- and why exactly will this effect most of new hempstead and wesley hills? This thing is totally out of everyone’s way- perfect spot right near the highway.
Why would anyone want to go to a stadium in a seedy area? Besides there isn’t room for a stadium in any seedy are in ramapo. The only seedy area in ramapo is sping valley- now hows that gonna work? It would just cause traffic jams. Maybe the town can actually profit from this stadium.
There was no “Tone” in SJS comment he said it like it is. We gotta learn to adapt to our surroundings. The town isnt just the home to the frum jews.
And im sure SJS feels terrible about all the millions of yidden in yeshiva world land whom he so terribly offended with his disgusting hateful comments while on luch break. Stop being so sensitive and cut out the “MOCHEL” game -grow up , you sound like youre in third grade. Be a big boy now and stop stirring up trouble.
Your comments are worse than those jew haters in LOHUD. You care so much about the frum community that you dont want a stadium in your frum community yet you couldnt care less about fighting with your fellow jew? Priorities please.
And yes I am Mochel you for hurting my feelings and my fellow jews feelings. LOL!!!
Lunch break is over Back to work!!!
As a Monsey man I agree with the above that there will be extremely minimal effect on the jewish neighborhoods especially forshay.
I live in Wesley Hills, not that far from the proposed stadium. I don’t think this will impact our daily lives in the same way RCC does (and if you live near the college or you’ve ever tried driving past RCC when they’re holding one of their popular shows, you know how crazy the traffic gets, not to mention the lights and noise!) but this will probably raise our taxes because statistically speaking, stadiums do not pay for themselves.
Congestion on the Palisades, Route 45, Pomona Road, McNamara, 306 and 202. All areas with plenty of frum Yidden. This is a game-changer for Wesley Hills, New Hempstead and Pomona.
I will admit I dont live in the area however I do know the area a bit. I dont think this is anything to really worry about traffic-wise since it is right near Exit 12 off the Palisades and they would probably get most of the traffic.
What I am concerned about & if I lived there, I would fight it is the fact that they are building a stadium for a fly by night league. What I mean is that these players have slightly less than ZERO percent chance of making it. They are with this league because they are generally un-drafted and not too talented. I have been to a few games from this league and I would rather watch paint dry! If they were building a stadium for a team playing in Minor League Baseball for an affiliated league (i.e., Rookie, Short Season A, A, AA, or AAA) it would be way different but for these teams, sorry your money could be better spent.
I forgot to mention that according to the league’s website the league is averaging only 1948 people a game with an average capacity of 4032, meaning they play in front of a stadium which is 52% EMPTY!
I would NEVER vote to pay for a stadium for this league, no matter how much money they claim will be brought into the coffers.
#7, ramapo yid:
please tell me you ARE aware that the fields used for all pirchei baseball games belong to the school districts and are notunder the same ownership./management as this stadium will be. the st. lawrence sports complex belongs to the town but the fields are not available to pirchei baseball.
thats a very small stadium. probably wont get too many rock concerts, maybe acoustic folk music. joan baez doesnt pack em in like she used to.