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HOMES EVERY WEEK! December 21, 2019
Times of Ti
suncommunitynews.com
• EDITION •
Things look sunny for solar law
Work starts on clubhouse
Facility to be community friendly; funding still needed
Ti ordinance to permit solar farms expected by year’s end By Tim Rowland STAFF WRITER
TICONDEROGA | After a process that has spread out for years, the Ticonderoga Town Board said last week it will pass a code allowing solar farms by Dec. 30. r.:::;;jijjjl arch,tc:ture
Artist rendering of the new clubhouse at the Ticonderoga Country Club.
By Tim Rowland STAFF WRITER
Stock photo
The council, during a public meeting on the proposed law, was urged on by a handful of residents who said the town has been “monkeying around” with the matter for long enough. Several farms in the Street Road area are primed to contract with solar companies, but town law, while it accommodates residential solar panels, does not provide for commercial enterprises. See SOLAR » pg. 7
TICONDEROGA | Construction crews have started to rebuild the clubhouse at the Ticonderoga golf course. Finishing the work might be another matter. The clubhouse, which burned in the spring of 2018, was limited in the amount of insurance it could buy because of its age and lack of modern fire retardants. And the insurance company has been slow to pay — the $1.2 million settlement has yet to show up in the country club’s bank account. Even with the insurance and money the club has in the bank, and even if a hoped-for state grant materializes, “we’re still short by a lot,” said Paul Brauner, a club member who is criss-crossing the country trying to raise funds. But the fund drive is also an opportunity of sorts, a chance to make the community aware of the country club’s value to Ticonderoga as a travel destination and an economic engine that benefits everyone. That’s different from the way golf courses are traditionally
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seen, and the future of the country club may depend on how well it’s able to change that perception. “People say, ‘I don’t play golf, this is just a one-percenter problem,” Brauner said. “But we’re not just building a bar where members can drink after a round.” To answer that argument, the clubhouse is being rebuilt with all Ti residents in mind. That includes events, catering and programs to introduce kids of all economic backgrounds to the sport. “We’re very open to different ideas to take advantage of the fact that we’ll have this clubhouse that can give back to the community,” Brauner said. “We want this to be a gathering place, a focal point and a revenue engine that puts money back into the area.” Along with being more inclusive, the course is focusing on its value as a vacation destination. For Ticonderoga to thrive, Brauner said, it needs to bring dollars “over the mountain” to be spent in local restaurants, gas stations and shops. There is also the matter of perception. For people driving up from affluent Lake George communities to the south, the golf course and country club on the edge of town will go a long way toward making a good first impression. See CLUBHOUSE » pg. 7
Ti bowling alley goes up in flames Community stunned, as historic Adirondack Lanes a total loss By Tim Rowland STAFF WRITER
Penfield Pond is the backdrop of the Ironville historic district where electricity was first put to industrial use. Photo by Tim Rowland
Penfield Pond in jeopardy Damaged during Irene, state says dam must be fixed or removed By Tim Rowland STAFF WRITER
CROWN POINT | Penfield Pond is at the heart of one of the most historic places in Essex County. But the pond itself may soon be history because the dam responsible for its existence is failing and will likely have to be removed. It’s a result no one wants, but repairing the dam is beyond the
means of the Penfield Foundation that owns the pond, as well as a collection of historic buildings in Ironville. “Of course we want to save it, but then we come back to reality,” said Penfield board member Kama Ingleston, at a meeting with Crown Point and Essex County officials last week. Of particular concern to board members is their liability should the dam fail, jeopardizing downstream communities. “It’s scary,” said foundation president and town historian Joan Hunsdon, noting that liability concerns prompted one person to leave the board, and have the rest crossing their fingers. The Penfield dam was compromised in 2011 during Hurricane Irene, said Penfield board member
Dave Hall. “Since then we’ve tried to get grants to make repairs” without success, he said. The Department of Environmental Conservation believes it needs to be removed, but says the financial responsibility rests with the owners. In an emailed statement, the state said “DEC dam safety staff noted several deficiencies during subsequent inspections that had not been remedied. In 2016, DEC declared the Penfield Pond Dam ‘unsound’ based on these recognized deficiencies. DEC is requiring action, and as the dam owner, the Penfield Foundation is responsible for determining whether the dam will be removed or fixed to meet safety standards.” See PENFIELD POND » pg. 7
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TICONDEROGA | In what the local community sees as a cruel twist of fate, the historic Adirondack Lanes bowling alley in Ticonderoga was destroyed by fire early Sunday morning, after just having battled back from devastating ice damage last year that ruined the facility’s roof and kept it closed for 10 months. The vintage lanes had been open for less than three weeks, according to owner Donna Fleury, who said the building was a total loss. Only the outer walls were standing Monday afternoon. The fire has been ruled accidental, but investigators are still looking for the exact cause. When she got the call, Fleury said she felt “disbelief — it was devastating.” Nevertheless, a day later she was traveling with the Ti High School bowling team for a competition in Plattsburgh, a day after the fi re. “The kids need me, and they come first,” she said. Fleury said the plan at this point is to rebuild. The building’s fire alarm sounded at 3:01 a.m., according to Ticonderoga Fire Chief Jason Parent, who estimated that more than 40 firefighters from 10 stations coming from three counties were on the scene. Parent said “high winds were a
factor” that contributed to the devastation. One firefighter suffered an ankle injury and was treated at the hospital, he said. Adirondack Lanes has been an institution in Ticonderoga, having remained in family hands since it was opened by the Gijanto family more than a half century ago. The oldest of the lanes — dating back to 1906 — predated the opening, having been salvaged from a bowling alley in New Jersey and trucked back to Ticonderoga where James “Jake” Gijanto nailed them down by hand in 1955. “The news of this devastating fire saddens our community, as our thoughts and prayers go out to the family,” said Ti Supervisor Joe Giordano. “For many years, Adirondack Lanes has created countless memories, for those near and far. For our community, this event is heartbreaking, and yet our community is resilient — we will rally together in support, just as we have through other devastating events.” Last January, melting snow formed a sheet of ice on the roof of the building, which flooded the alleys and damaged some of the wooden lanes. That touched off a lengthy battle with the insurance company, and the lanes remained closed for months. “It seems like they’re fighting every little thing we’re doing,” Fleury said in September. The town rallied around the bowling alley with donations, and it was reopened to league play. The fi re came as sad news to residents commenting on social media, having survived so many troubles only to go up in flames. ■