Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz
Conducts Epic Self-Own on Social Media, Criticizing Park Project He Voted For
ERIE COUNTY, NY— Investments in Erie County parks and natural spaces have been an annual hallmark of the Poloncarz administration and have transformed the heavily-used 10,000-acre park system into a safer, more accessible and more enjoyable place for all. While all county parks have seen investments and improvements over the years, a new ADA compliant shelter and adjacent ADA accessible parking lot and concrete sidewalks at Como Lake Park in Lancaster were the targets of a recent social media post from an Erie County legislator criticizing the Poloncarz administration for the shelter’s cost, despite the fact that the legislator had voted to approve the funding for the project, and despite the fact that the shelter was completed at lower cost than what the legislator had voted to approve.
Shelter #14 at Como Lake Park is a brand-new shelter ideal for families and large get-togethers. It is ADA-compliant, located next to an accessible playground and multi-generational exercise area, and has ample parking in a new lot which was built along with the shelter. The shelter project also included site work, drainage, and an accessible concrete sidewalk to allow residents of all abilities to enjoy it. Funding for the work was approved unanimously by the Legislature on October 10, 2024, which authorized $549,000 for the project; the final cost, however, was $510,895, or $38,105 less than the authorized amount.
In a video posted on social media, Erie County Legislator Frank Todaro (8th District), who joined in that unanimous vote, criticized the Poloncarz administration for this investment despite his own support of it. In the video the legislator also claims that he “wants to get to the bottom of this” and said he is “working on a final report” and will “have that to you soon” while he “questions the expenditure.”
“This project received unanimous, bipartisan support from the Legislature in 2024, was completed under-budget by nearly $40,000, and has been a tremendous addition to Como Lake Park. It’s unfortunate that Legislator Todaro either doesn’t remember voting for it, which calls into question every other vote he has ever cast, or he is lying to score political points,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “Erie County taxpayers deserve accurate information. Perhaps Legislator Todaro should pay closer attention to what he votes for before criticizing my administration over a project he and every other legislator supported and that was completed under budget.”
For more information:
On the Erie County Parks Department, visit https://www3.erie.gov/parks/
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