On Jan. 22, Astoria Parks and Recreation is inviting the public to the Lovell Showroom from 5:30 to 7 p.m. to vote on three project designs for Heritage Square. Billed as a “public engagement” event, presumably there will be an opportunity to broach other visions for Heritage Square besides the three being presented.

The Friends of Heritage Square has already submitted an extensive proposal to the city, posted on the city’s website, which includes a memorandum of understanding with the city and an extensive outlay of the group’s concept for Heritage Square that includes a plaza, a pavilion and a performance space, which is drawn up on the Friends of Heritage Square’s website as an amphitheater.

It seems that a decision to grant the future of Heritage Square to the Friends of Heritage Square has already been made. I could be proven wrong if other alternatives from the community are given serious consideration.

The fourth alternative I want to put forward is the creation of an inner city green zone including trees, shrubs and flowers, replicating a natural environment covering the majority of the space, with accommodations for pedestrian pathways.

In addition to the multiple benefits of this plan, one of its main virtues is that it doesn’t have an enormous carbon footprint. After the excavation phase, it would begin helping mitigate climate change. As a result, there are numerous federal and state grants that could cover most of the installation cost within a relatively short time frame.

Please help support this alternative.

ROGER DORBAND

Astoria