In response to “Major Concert in O’burg?” which appeared in the Dec. 15-21 issue of North Country This Week: As a resident of the neighborhood near the former Diamond National Site - a nice quiet neighborhood that doesn't have a lot of trouble, wild parties or significant illicit activities - I wanted to go on record opposing the OG Riverfest 2019.

Mayor Ashley and respected City Councilors, how would you like an onslaught of 10,000 loud, intoxicated people who will not stay contained to the concert venue, meandering through your neighborhood when you have small children?

Or the raucous cacophony that will carry on into the wee hours of the morning barring your rest/sleep when you have to work the next morning? Many of you, I suspect, are well insulated from this location and will suffer no negative ramifications from an event of this magnitude. This is a working neighborhood for the most part. Those who don't work are retired and enjoy the quiet residential neighborhood we have in this corner of the City. It is not an area accustomed to days long events that upend the quiet character of the neighborhood.

Despite the best planned intentions of the event organizers, you cannot contain the crowd to the venue nor can you prevent the influx of drugs and other substances that already damage the fabric of our community. I agree we need to boost the image of the city and attract new and better events and particularly business/employers to Ogdensburg, but I must question this concert location.

This neighborhood does not have the infrastructure to support an event of this magnitude. The already narrow streets at this end of the city will be congested with overflow parking from the event making travel to and from our residential homes perilous and outdoor play dangerous for our children. There are no restaurants or stores within walking distance (except Ghize's) so we are inviting intoxicated persons to get in their cars and drive to our local eateries and shopping or to and from hotels. True that not all attendees will be intoxicated or make trouble, but we all have seen that even at our most long standing events in the city, trouble finds a way to rear its ugly head.

Like many residents, I feel, that despite exercising my right to vote, which placed many of you in your offices, my voice or the voices of my neighbors don't matter or factor in the decision making process.

Even if we are unified and strongly opposed to this event, the decision will be made at the City Hall level and we'll be forced, as the frontline residents, to live with the consequences of your decisions. This would be a fantastic event, but what business has come to the city to support jobs?

What positive do I get as a resident that trades off against the negatives that I will get from this concert event? How many residents will have long term employment opportunities to better their lives come out of this concert? Or will it just be more of annual event that connects to the anti-progress that is the hallmark of our City? You want families to stay. You want young people to come here to keep the city alive.

Or is this just one more step in what I have heard since I relocated here a decade ago - Ogdensburg is a New York City retirement community.

Please consider jobs and long-term stability over quick tourist bucks.

Maria G. Freitas Ladouceur

Ogdensburg