ONONDAGA CITIZENS LEAGUE NEWS
june 2009
CONGRESSMAN DANIEL MAFFEI ADDRESSES 2009 ANNUAL MEETING
So let’s think big. What would we want to see our area look like in say nine years on the 200th Anniversary of the Erie Canal groundbreaking on July 4th, 2017? That was one of the questions Congressman Dan Maffei posed in his address to OCL members and friends at the OCL annual meeting on June 2. Talking about the possibility of high speed rail linking NYC and Upstate New York cities to one another, Congressman Maffei recalled for us how an infrastructure project of magnificent vision changed our history and our economy close to 200 years ago. "This new railroad – this Erie Canal of the 21st Century -would put us back on the map figuratively and in some cases literally. It would not make us a commuter city to New York or Buffalo or Montreal but give us much more reliable access to these cities, and their companies and overcrowded populations better access to us."
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Congressman Maffei also foresees a day when “… we will have succeeded in revitalizing downtown Syracuse because we rerouted I-81, so it no longer cut through the heart of our city and carved up vibrant neighborhoods. It’s not just new transportation projects that create opportunities for rebirth but also removing the past projects that have become barriers.” He challenges us to use vision to imagine how much we can accomplish.
JUDITH C. MOWER RECEIVES OCL CIVIC EDUCATION AWARD
OCL Board members Steve Kearney and Mary Thompson presented the 2009 Levi L. Smith Civic Education Award to Judith C. Mower, Ph.D., for her outstanding contributions to civic education and engagement. Judy, who co-chaired the 2001 OCL study, Civic Leadership for Community Transformation, contributes her time and talents to many civic projects and organizations, including Syracuse 20/20, FOCUS Greater Syracuse and the national Funders Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities. She has been a trustee or director of over 20 nonprofit boards and has helped to launch many community programs and initiatives.
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OCL STUDY NEWS
RETHINKING I-81,OCL’s latest study report, is due to be released soon! OCL members will receive a hard copy of the report, which is intended to help citizens think creatively about feasible alternatives to rebuilding the I-81 viaducts through Syracuse. Later, the report will be posted on the OCL website. If your organization would like a presentation on the study, contact OCL at ocl@uc.syr.edu.
OCL's STUDY BLOG,an online discussion of issues, case studies, reports, and other items of interest relating to OCL's study, RETHINKING I-81, is one year old this month. The blog is linked to the OCL website, where other notes and resources tracking the progress of the study are also stored. If you have followed the blog and the study committee deliberations, the conclusions of the Rethinking I-81 study report, which will be released later this month, will be no surprise.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE GREEN?
As the next Study Committee begins to explore the study topic,"What Does It Mean to Be Green?" the blog will expand to explore the study questions: What defines an environmentally sustainable, or “green” community? What is currently being done to establish Central New York as a green community? How can we accelerate efforts to incorporate green principles into our public policies, business practices, and individual lives? We hope that you will get involved by following the process, keeping an open mind, and adding your opinions to the mix. To join the Study Committee, contact ocl@uc.syr.edu.
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