By RALPH BURKE
Labor Day has come and gone. But before it becomes another passing memory, I would like to extend Labor Day thanks to the city of Dunkirk Parks and Streets Departments. During my walks, bike rides and drives, I see them working and maintaining a high level of care and professionalism in keeping our city functioning.
Some of the works and improvements I've noticed are:
The beaches are kept cleaned, combed and attractive by adding good textured sand where possible.
The shoreline and backwater north of the Steger Apartments and west of the walkway, once an eyesore filled with broke-away pontoons and litter is now cleaned up.
The two pickups weekly of recyclables on Mondays and regular trash on scheduled ward days; the use of the Lucas Avenue recycling center and its brush and wood drop offs (at one time this was limited to city residents and a windshield ID was issued, but that's been dropped.) Now non-residents avail themselves of these services. But better to have it in a controlled environment than tossed along some road side.
This Lucas Avenue site at times is so heavily used and filled with brush, wood and dirt, the recyclable bins bursting at the seams, and let's not forget the worn out mattresses and thread-bare tires that it's a wonder they get rid of it all. But they do! On the streets they're working in the holes of muck and mire, keeping lines open and drained; the roads kept paved, patched and machine swept. The trash barrels around the parks and other areas are emptied on a regular basis.
The leaves, tree limbs, yard debris picked up, ground up and removed. The preparation and cleanup from the evening musical presentations. The coming winter with its holiday decorations and (brr!) snow plowing. This and more is done - and done well. One of the statements I hear from non-residents is that they wish they had the kind of services and accessibility that we have. That's a reward in itself.
Ralph Burke is a Dunkirk resident.
