Sanders withdraws from BMX race track project

Plans for an American Bicycle Association-sanctioned BMX racing track have gone by the wayside.

The Fairfield City Council accepted Clayton Sander?s request to withdraw from his property lease during Monday?s meeting.

After three years of dedicating a significant amount of time and money to building the hills and smoothing the track at O.B. Nelson Park, Sanders requested to terminate his lease due to health reasons and ?non-existent community support.?

?Mr. Sanders ? indicated that it?s for lack of community support, well it wasn?t lack of city support,? Mayor Ed Malloy said, noting the city granted him the land and contributed Local Option Sales Tax revenue to the project. Route 34 BMX leased the track from the city for $1 per year.

Additionally, several local companies donated to the track.

?I just want to commend Mr. Sanders for doing this. He put in a lot of work, and it was a labor of love for the community and the kids in our community, and it?s a shame that it didn?t work,? councilman John Revolinski commented.

The Fairfield Park and Recreation Department Board of Directors has yet to review the request. The board also will consider the future of the property, which may include use as a dog park. Councilwoman Martha Norbeck encouraged the board to consider options that would make use of the track in its current state without the land needing to be leveled.

Malloy brought another park issue to the council?s attention Monday, providing an update on the controversy surrounding the memorial benches in Central Park.

Malloy reported the plan is to replace the park?s 20 benches, upgrading those that are deteriorating and giving families of those with memorial benches the choice of taking the original bench or transferring it to another city park. The memorial plaques are to be moved to a central memorial.

In talking to families with memorial benches, Malloy has discovered most families would like the plaques to stay with the benches ? a request he believes the park and rec board will be willing to honor. He also believes the board would honor a family?s request to have the original bench moved to another park with the plaque.

For the complete article, see the Tuesday, June 23, 2009, Fairfield Ledger.