http://www.spotlightnews.com/news/view_news.php?news_id=1286200840Dirt bikers enter debate
John Purcell 10/04/10
Riders speak out on Rotterdam ‘racetrack’
Dirt bike riders of the contested dirt track in Rotterdam have remained silent no longer.
During the Rotterdam Town Board Meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 22, dirt bike riders that use the property owned by Marc Della Villa came out in numbers to represent themselves in the debate if the property is being used as what the Town Code would define as a racetrack.
Della Villa asked at the meeting and asked what the situation currently is regarding the dirt track.
“I have no idea what he is going to decide, because it is not my job,” said Deputy Supervisor Robert Godlewski “Once we get through that hurdle the board has to decide what direction we want to go in.”
Board member Nicola DiLeva said neighboring residents and the people using the track need to come to an agreement where both sides can “peacefully co-exisit.”
“It was really never intended to be a racetrack,” said Della Villa. “It is just a bunch of young people that don’t drink and don’t do drugs and have something on the weekend that they can enjoy.”
Following the meeting Della Villa shared his opinions on the matter.
He said what the board is doing is the smart thing to address the Town Code before they pass anything regarding a determination of the dirt track.
Residents have complained the process is taking too long to complete, but Dell Villa thinks the town is just addressing more vital issues requiring immediate attention.
“The neighbors are saying it is taking to long … but there are a thousand things that go on in the town every week that needs to be addressed,” said Della Villa. “I don’t feel it has been for me or against me.”
Also, Residents have complained about the riders using the track through all hours of the day. Della Villa said there are only certain times riders use the track. The riders on the dirt track are between the ages of 18 to 45 years old, said Della Villa, with around not more than 20 people using it in the whole year. There is one rider that is a 16-year-old, but his father comes with him when he uses the track.
“If you look at what the same age group of kids in Schenectady spend on drugs … when you spend $8,000 on a motorcycle you are making a commitment to do something that you want to do rather than just going out every night and doing drugs,” said Della Villa. “They don’t drink beer when they are riding they get pizza and soda, so it is a healthy environment for the young people in the town.”
Most of the riding is on weekends, said Dell Villa, and will not ride past 7 p.m. at night and don’t start up on weekends before 10 or 11 a.m.
For the most part, the usage of the track has spread by word of mouth, because his son Jessie used it with his group of friends.
“At first it was just his core friends of 4 to 5 people, but then other residents came to me in the town and said, ‘look it, I got a kid that ride — can he come?’ and I said yeah,” said Della Villa.
He said one parent told him they were “so glad their kid comes there” because if he gets their child got hurt at least there would be people around to help them out.
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