Things in Riverdale Park have been going well. Its been a good but mostly uneventful summer here in town. One new situation that has my attention is the new trash pickup that the town has contracted out to Bates Trucking. In terms of convenience, there was nothing wrong with the town-operated waste removal system. Changes certainly did not need to be made based on how the system operated. However, I can understand the need for the more cost effective solution that Mayor Archer and the town council developed. If the tax money saved by outsourcing this service can be spent on code enforcement or the police department, then this is a great outcome.
So far I am almost satisfied with the services provided by Bates. The Monday and Thursday pickups are no different than before, and I haven't had any problems with the pickup. The trash bin that was provided is convenient for my family. Its nice to have one that is easy to wheel out to the curb rather than hauling two smaller bins like I've been used to. The large size is also good for larger items that wouldn't fit in a smaller container, yet aren't quite "bulk" waste.
My one complaint though is the change from Monday to Wednesday made in regards to yard waste. The town's Monday pick up was convenient because my family and I are much more likely to do yard work during the weekend. I feel most people probably feel the same, since most people's schedules probably don't include mowing the yard or trimming the hedges on a Tuesday. It was pretty easy to do much of my yard work on Sunday afternoon and put the waste right to the curb. With the new schedule the choice is leaving bags by the curb for several days, or having to store the waste with the rest of my trash for a few more days. The Monday pick-up is a small detail that might give the yards in our town just a little bit more curb appeal. If collecting yard waste is too much for Bates to accomplish on the same day as common trash, then I would be happier with a Monday yard waste pickup and a Tuesday-Friday for the rest.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
New Liquor License
So I saw on town talk(http://rp-towntalk.blogspot.com/2008_01_01_archive.html) that there is opposition by our Mayor, town council, and other residents for an alcoholic beverage license for a business known as Jin Lee Palace. The business would be at the corner of Riverdale Rd and Kenilworth Ave, and would sell liquor 6 days a week, beer and wine 7 days a week, and have a drive through window.
I'm pro business for this community and I'm pro-alcohol. But this doesn't sound like a business that is needed in that location. I don't think anybody on the Kenilworth side of town is having a hard time finding beer, wine, or spirits. I ran a quick google maps search, and this is what I found...
View Larger Map
Each of those spots marks a liquor store near the intersection of Riverale Rd. and Kenilworth Ave. There already is a liquor store on the opposite side of the street in Riverdale Plaza(location A), a liquor store 2 blocks south on Kenilworth(location B), and a drive through liquor store less than a mile and a half away in Bladensburg(location D)! This map also doesn't denote Dumm's Market which sells Beer and Wine 7 days a week less than a mile away on Riverdale Rd. I've never had a hard time buying alcohol in Riverdale Park. There are plenty of options.
A restaurant with a full bar is not a bad idea. I like restaurants and enjoy a drink with most dinners, so I would see no problem with this. However, Kenilworth Avenue doesn't need another drive through liquor store, or any other for that matter. I'm sure most commuters who drive by our community are not very impressed with what they see of Riverdale as they drive through on Kenilworth. Supporting local businesses and encouraging them to make our town look beautiful is a wonderful idea. However, introducing a liquor store which is not needed certainly isn't a way to beautify our town. If Jin Lee Palace wants to open a restaurant with a full bar...I would support that. However, if their intent it to run a liquor store as well, then I don't think their license should be approved.
I'm pro business for this community and I'm pro-alcohol. But this doesn't sound like a business that is needed in that location. I don't think anybody on the Kenilworth side of town is having a hard time finding beer, wine, or spirits. I ran a quick google maps search, and this is what I found...
View Larger Map
Each of those spots marks a liquor store near the intersection of Riverale Rd. and Kenilworth Ave. There already is a liquor store on the opposite side of the street in Riverdale Plaza(location A), a liquor store 2 blocks south on Kenilworth(location B), and a drive through liquor store less than a mile and a half away in Bladensburg(location D)! This map also doesn't denote Dumm's Market which sells Beer and Wine 7 days a week less than a mile away on Riverdale Rd. I've never had a hard time buying alcohol in Riverdale Park. There are plenty of options.
A restaurant with a full bar is not a bad idea. I like restaurants and enjoy a drink with most dinners, so I would see no problem with this. However, Kenilworth Avenue doesn't need another drive through liquor store, or any other for that matter. I'm sure most commuters who drive by our community are not very impressed with what they see of Riverdale as they drive through on Kenilworth. Supporting local businesses and encouraging them to make our town look beautiful is a wonderful idea. However, introducing a liquor store which is not needed certainly isn't a way to beautify our town. If Jin Lee Palace wants to open a restaurant with a full bar...I would support that. However, if their intent it to run a liquor store as well, then I don't think their license should be approved.
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