Letters-to-the-Editor & Commentary

Should Greenburgh Open AF Veteran Park (And Pool) To Village Residents?

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January 10, 2026

Over the years some village officials have asked Greenburgh to open AF Veteran Park to residents of the villages – an action the town cannot legally take because of the Finneran law which was approved by the Governor and State Legislature in the 1970s. That law limits pool uses to residents of unincorporated Greenburgh. We have been able to make some exceptions – for volunteer firefighters, ambulance corp members and children with disabilities.

I have asked the Greenburgh Parks & Recreation Advisory Board and Town Board to consider asking the State Legislature to amend the law to enable the town to do what Hastings and Dobbs Ferry pool already do –issue a limited number of pools passes to residents of other villages. If the Greenburgh Town Board & Parks & Recreation Advisory Board would be supportive a follow up step will be to go to the State Legislature and to ask them to amend the Finneran law.

Amending the law to allow up to 25 nonresident passes would enable some nonresidents to use our pool and would also generate more revenue for the town pool . Pool passes would be priced higher, offset operating costs. We would limit the number of passes to 25 families under my proposal to prevent overcrowding and reduced enjoyment in the pool. I believe that by opening up the pool to a maximum of 25 village families the town of Greenburgh will promote positive relationships between the town and villages especially in communities like Ardsley and Irvington that lack their own pool. It may also encourage more sharing between different government entities. A few years ago, the village of Hastings had problems with their own pool and asked the town if we could offer Hastings residents access to the Greenburgh pool while their pool was closed —something we couldn’t do because of the Finneran law. Changing the law will enable the town to be a good neighbor if there are problems in the future with other village pools.

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I met with the parks and recreation advisory board last week. An informal poll of the members of the Greenburgh Parks Board found that a majority were receptive to the proposal. Since the meeting, some parks & rec advisory board members have asked for further discussion and review.

PAUL FEINER

Greenburgh Town Supervisor

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