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General News: Memorial to Struggle Against Con Ed Planned

The crew dug out the remaining half of the boulder from Black Rock Forest.
The crew dug out the remaining half of the boulder from Black Rock Forest.
The boulder was wrapped with a chain...
The boulder was wrapped with a chain...
..and begins its trip down the mountain.
..and begins its trip down the mountain.
It was unloaded at the riverfront...
It was unloaded at the riverfront...
and placed next to its other half.
and placed next to its other half.
April 10, 2009

Two halves of a boulder were virtually reunited at Donahue Memorial Park in Cornwall-on-Hudson on Thursday in the first stage of a project that will end up creating a memorial to the historic fight against Con Edison’s plan to build a power plant on Storm King Mountain more than 40 years ago.

Village mayor Joseph Gross says that he thought it was appropriate to honor the efforts of some local residents whose successful efforts to stop Con Edison are often viewed as the beginning of the modern environmental movement.  He also knew that the second half of a boulder that was split to make a memorial to former Mayor Michael Donahue was still sitting in the woods of Black Rock Forest and he launched a campaign to create the memorial to the Con Edison struggle with that half.

Mayor Gross says that thanks to generosity of a couple of local families tied to the fight against Con Edison, the village was able to move ahead with plans to move the boulder.

Dave Halvorsen, the head of the village department of public works went up to Black Rock on Thursday with a crew from Naninni and Callahan to start bringing the boulder out.  With a backhoe, they dug the rock from the hillside, then loaded it on a flatbed trailer for the trip down to the riverfront.

Trustee Rick Gioia, who witnessed the arrival of the boulder at the riverfront, said that it was situated next to its other half, but facing Storm King Mountain.  Like the Mayor Donahue memorial next to it, the words of the new memorial will be chiseled into the face of the rock, Gioia said.   He also said that a new cherry tree will be planted nearby, similar to those already in the ground at the Donahue Memorial.

Click on any photo at right for a larger view of the excavation and transport of the boulder.  Photos by DPW head Dave Halvorsen.



Comments:

I beg to differ with the "tree choice, and I will double check, but I believe those trees that are there are crab apples. I will confirm.


posted by kate goodspeed on 04/10/09 at 5:50 PM

Mayor Donahue had his hands full with Con Ed, so did many of the village residents. I wonder seriously if the right residents will be acknowledge? I think not, the rock isn't large enough. Why not acknowledge someone who put Cornwall Landing on the map in bygone days? Yes, Con Ed was defeated, Willie Hoppe grew up and gave the nation a hero who lived so close to Donahue Park you could throw a stone and hit his house. Think about it, are you after a winner or a defeater?


posted by Lee Record on 04/10/09 at 6:26 PM

hey, that's *my* spot...


posted by Kate Benson on 04/10/09 at 9:14 PM

But seriously, can you honestly say, as you stand at the waterfront, whether in Cornwall on Hudson, New Windsor, or Newburgh, that the majestic face of the Storm King would look better with a pumping station gouged out of it? "Village taxes would be next to nothing"? Sour grapes, my friend, there was no guarantee.


posted by Kate Benson on 04/10/09 at 9:22 PM

Thanks to all involved!
I would suggest placing the boulder inside the new gazebo making it more like a shrine


posted by j b on 04/11/09 at 6:48 AM

The Park was dedicated by the Village Board to honor the service of Mayor Donahue to our Village. Doc was very much in favor of the Con Ed project, by the way. Has anyone checked with the Donahue family on this matter ? I personally think this location is the height of stupidity. The monument belongs near the entrance to the old Hotel at the turnaround . And, Johnny B., I think you should go on 100% oxygen for awhile !


posted by edward moulton on 04/11/09 at 11:02 AM

Well, one thing can be said: Anonymity helps these Letters seem more like Letterman!


posted by Jon Chase on 04/11/09 at 5:06 PM

Hmm - there's a lot here to repond to.

1. The initial post asked a VERY important question. Where was the public process by which the decision was made to just go ahead with this? Isn't this exactly the kind of thing that Mayor Gross (and those of us who voted for him) objected to in the Village. Decisions made and acted on without any process for public input or opportunity to raise concerns?

2. The monument itself. Regardless of one's position on the ConEd project, I can certainly understand the Donohue sisters' objection to placing this memorial in a park that itself is a memorial to their father - especially when he was in favor the ConEd project that was defeated. In some ways it actually does make more sense to locate this memorial nearer to or on the land that was actually saved by its defeat. There is some poetry to the fact that an issue that apparently divided the community will have two halves of a split boulder memorializing a Mayor who was in favor of it, and those who opposed it. If I had been living here at the time I am not sure where I would have stood on this. On the one hand the possible reduction in our tax burdon would have been VERY attractive, but on the other a huge gouge out of the landscape for it would NOT have been.

Why not make ANOTHER park memorializing the struggle with the monument there - on the property that was saved at the end of Bay View Ave? Is that land owned by Scenic Hudson?

3. The anonymous postings should be removed by the webmaster. If there is NO action taken then folks will continue to post anonymously.


posted by Chuck Trella on 04/15/09 at 10:59 AM

Yes, there is a lot here... The most recent article reporting on this issue - the sisters opposing the plan - presents some very interesting history that many may be too young to remember or they were not here. I think the Misses Donahue have a very good point and also a good alternate plan for the boulder. But I must confess, part of my desire to place it elsewhere? that's *my* spot...
And fie on you blackguards that post anonymously, cowards! draw your pen and sheath your sword!


posted by Kate Benson on 04/15/09 at 8:42 PM

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