We were very happy to hear that the Village Board of Trustees has come to an agreement with the Garden City Casino to extend its lease for another twenty years. The Casino, which is a non-profit entity, has been a community resource for residents for over a century, and is beloved by many. It has been the site of many club and community meetings, as well as private gatherings from people who rent its space. In addition, generations of Garden City kids have learned to play tennis there. 

Could the Village have earned more money by finding other uses for the property? Maybe. Should it have done so? No. Sometimes making a buck just isn’t worth it.

We were less happy to see the item on the agenda which would have required Franklin Avenue restaurants to remove their outdoor dining structures. 

While it’s reasonable for the Board to consider the safety and aesthetics of the structures, we were taken aback to see that item added to the agenda with no warning. If the Board had passed it, the restaurants would have had only seven days to completely remove the structures. Our understanding is that there was no forewarning to the restaurateurs that this was going to happen.

Fortunately, though, the Board members were willing to listen to the speakers at the meeting, and have tabled the matter until they can get more safety information and input from residents.