Building in hydric soils already has proven a mistake

9/20/2004

West Seneca proposes a large ice rink alongside Buffalo Creek. This demonstrates that we haven't learned from past mistakes. The site, next to Buffalo Creek and its flood plain, contains many wetland-type (hydric) soils. These soils have beneficial environmental affects on water quality by way of storage and filtration.
But putting environmental considerations aside, don't the construction and structural failures in Amherst, with foundations and basements sinking into squishy, hydric soils, provide any lessons? In hydric soils, money that could be spent on the facility is spent on reinforced foundations and dewatering strategies.

Building in the creek flood plain adds another needless expense. Creek floods will require bank stabilization measures and add costs. Sadly, the proposed site is isolated and not where people could walk to it or drop the kids off and then shop nearby.

Why couldn't this site be conserved and developed as parkland and perhaps eventually made part of a town trail system along the creek? This would benefit citizens of every age and add healthy recreation at a minimal cost, part of it carried by state and federal funding.

Local officials should begin to support taxpayers rather than developers and adopt a very common-sense rule that building in wetlands and hydric soils is not economically feasible.

Art Klein

Tonawanda