Rich by Maria, May 1, 2024
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M: Rich, what do you love about Rosendale?
R: Rosendale’s nice and calm but it has you know has some life in the town – it’s got some eateries, got some bars but it’s a nice place.
M: How long have you lived here?
R: Since 2009.
M: And do you work in Rosendale as well?
R: I do work. I do construction so right now I’m working for a contractor in the area so we’re doing some houses here.
M: If you had friends visiting from some other place what would you show them in Rosendale?
R: Well there’s the trestle that’s a nice little place to go to. I haven’t been to Santa Fe Burgers, it was Red Brick the last time I was there. I’d show them my back yard – I’m on the Rondout Creek.
M: So let’s see is there anything that you would miss if it were gone?
R: I do like this shopping center [Fann Plaza] because you have the market and the Dollar General here. Who wants to drive to Kingsford and New Paltz it’s every time you need to buy a couple things right? That would be definitely a high in the list over there.
M: And other things you’ve thought about ideas that you have for Rosendale? Things that Rosendale needs or or doesn’t need?
R: Well we were just talking about bars. Somebody wanted cheaper bars. One reason why me and responsible people probably don’t go out is because of the DWIs things like that. So of course some kind of shuttle system local to Rosendale would be nice – something cheap and affordable. People come in and really spend their money and that feeling like they have a ticket on the way home. I think that would help out all the local bars and restaurants that serve alcohol. You know people that just want to come into town but don’t want the hassle. like in Tillson, the old Postage Inn, you know I mean they’d benefit from something like that.
M: Anything else? Do you have family here?
R: No actually from Long Island. So I’ve been up here for fifteen years or so. My mom did move up here but she moved back to Florida. I think Rosendale could use a new children’s park who could be updated a bit. At the Rec center there. You can see a lot of stuff busting on there. That’d be nice like bringing my kids out there. The pool is really nice. It’s pretty cheap for family so that’s very nice to have.
M: How old are you kids?
R: I got three kids, three, nine and fifteen.
M: Yeah so that’s a lot.
R: So there’s always some age group something to do you know. So I think that would be a plus family oriented for both the younger family and the older family.
M: How’s your teenager doing here? Is there enough for them to do?
R: Yeah she’s looking for employment, so of course you know that age it’s hard to find employment. But it’s nice that there are pizzerias like Antonio’s in the store here so she can get a job here.
M: Is there anything else you’d like us to know?
R: Not the moment I’ll probably remember when I get halfway home.
M: Well we’ll give you a postcard so that you can do that.
R: Thank you very much.
