We should not give up our independence in Babylon Village for an athletic turf field  

We should not give up our independence in Babylon Village for an athletic turf field   Dear Editor:

A synthetic turf field at the high school is a nice idea, and I agree that seagull droppings are unpleasant and the monies the county would provide come from our already spent tax dollars. Well, let’s apply that logic to the same problem that exists right next door at Argyle Park. It would be so much better for both children and adult park users (especially brides posing for wedding photos) to not have to step over all the bird waste. If we let other groups have fairs similar to the annual Babylon Beautification Fair for say four weekend days and four Friday nights a summer for the next ten years, maybe the County would provide the funds to have Argyle synthetically turfed and even pay for night lights to allow for say, two Open Air County Flea Market Nights a summer. Of course, the Village would have a voice in whatever groups wanted to use the park on these agreed upon dates.

And, if we opened up the Village Pool to non-Village resident Suffolk County organizations or even to Suffolk residents in general, for again say four weekends and maybe two Friday nights a summer, I’ll bet the County would give us monies for cushioned pool-side chairs like they have in those tony Nassau County beach clubs.

Over the years having a separate Village idenity has given Babylon as much local control over quality of life issues as possible. It prevented the rooming house blight that has plagued Bayshore and the super highway widening of Montauk Highway that has spawned ugly strip malls in other areas of the town. The turf field would be nice, yes; but not if we need to give up even one iota of decision making with the potential to detrimentally affect the great quality of life that all Village Residents now enjoy. Ten years is a long time.

Jane Lynn Davidson, Babylon