Published: November 18, 2009 12:36 am      

NORTH TONAWANDA: Council hikes golf rates

Greens fees at Deerwood Golf Course will be raised $1 next year for residents and non residents alike, with non-residents paying an extra $2 for an 18-hole round.

The North Tonawanda Common Council finalized that and a number of other measures that have been bandied about for weeks or months at their meeting Tuesday night. The rate increases were part of the 2010 budget recently passed by the mayor and council. The move is intended to raise an additional $180,000 in revenue from the golf course.

The new fees are:

• Residents, nine holes: $10 (up $1)

• Residents, 18-holes: $14 (up $1)

• Non-resident, nine holes: $14 (up $1)

• Non-resident, 18 holes: $26 (up $2)

In a more symbolic move Tuesday, officials also agreed to rename William Street for a local man, Walter Kroetsch. One of three streets in the area bearing the name William, the street to be renamed is part of the recently concluded William Street subdivision in the city’s northwest section. The street, located between Witmer Road and Hawthorne Drive, will now be known simply as Walter Drive.

Though council members had long debated a city policy stating streets may only be renamed for veterans who died during conflict, Walter Kroetsch has warranted an exception.

The Bell Aerospace retiree lived on William Street beginning in 1972. He lived in North Tonawanda from 1949 to 1993.

“Walter served his country during World War II, stationed at Los Alamos, building the atomic bomb which ended the war with Japan,” reads an Oct. 13 letter from his widow, 82-year-old Jean Kroetsch, to the council making the request.

“He retired from Bell Aerospace after 43 years of faithful service and he served his community as a volunteer and treasurer of the Sweeney Hose Co. #7 for 30 years,” the letter continues.

Jean Kroetsch thanked the council following the declaration.

Also Tuesday, the council signaled its support of two grants sought by the city’s grant writers, Lumber City Development Corp., which submitted applications totaling $550,000. If successful, one would account for $250,000 to evolve a concept to build a boutique hotel on Webster Street to be called Gateway Harbor Inn.

The building at 64 Webster St., formerly Teddy Bear Fabrics, was purchased several months ago by the development company.

Mayor Larry Soos said the plans would call for a 13-room hotel with a ground-floor restaurant just across the street from the historic Riviera Theatre. Another application for $300,000 in grant funding is being sought to help fund a production line of wind turbines.

“Both projects have the potential to greatly benefit the City of North Tonawanda by leveraging new investment, creating new jobs and propelling the city’s recently adopted master plan,” a letter by LCDC Executive Director Jim Sullivan states.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting:

• The council approved a change order authorizing an additional $16,839 to Lancaster contractor Northeast Diversification for the ongoing Marcia Drive reconstruction project. The project cost is now $264,655, with most new expenses paying for a new six-inch field drain, repaving and over-excavation of loose soil.

• In an entirely different motion by the council, designs for the long-awaited Meadow Drive extension project were adopted. Part of the approval process with the state Department of Transportation was that the city approve the specific design to extend the roadway across a set of CSX railroad tracks and continuing into the mid-city business district.

• Also, an application has been submitted for a new addition to a cellphone tower at the DPW yard, 758 Erie Ave. Building Inspector Cosimo Capozzi said a check for $4,500 was submitted to his office. That would cover the application and permit fee to the carrier — fees the city recently resolved to start collecting on its own.

• The city renewed an agreement with the Niagara County SPCA for dog control and stray domestic animal control at a cost of $48,696 for the upcoming year.

• The council approved the use of Gateway Harbor Park for this year’s second-ever New Year’s Eve ball drop celebration in downtown North Tonawanda. Fees for the park’s usage were waived.

Contact reporter Neale Gulley at 693-1000, ext. 114.