CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Cheektowaga neighbors are taking action to address concerns that directly impact their community's future and safety. At Thursday night's town hall meeting, residents brought their questions about the uncertain future of the Walden Galleria and growing public safety issues to Town Supervisor Brian Nowak.
I attended the meeting at the Julia Boyer Reinstein Library, where community members shared their stories and sought answers to issues affecting their daily lives.
WATCH: Cheektowaga residents voice community concerns at town hall meeting
The future of the Walden Galleria, our region's largest shopping center and a significant economic contributor, has become uncertain after owner Pyramid Management Group defaulted on a $220 million loan. Last month, Wells Fargo Bank initiated foreclosure proceedings on the mall, leaving many residents wondering what would happen next.
"So, what is it going to look like in the next year or two?" Nowak said. "It's still going to be a large shopping mall. It remains to be seen what it's going to be in the next 10 years. We've got a little bit of work done on our town board, applying for grant funding with Erie County to do some zoning updates on the property that the mall sits on."
Nowak added that there is room to be proactive regarding the mall's current and future use.
Public safety concerns also dominated the discussion following Monday night's incident at Cheektowaga Town Park, where three teens in a stolen vehicle allegedly fled from police and drove through the park, hitting a parked car. The man in the car suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Angela Scholl, whose husband Chad was injured in the incident, spoke at the meeting about his condition.
"He spent about 8 hours at ECMC," Angela said. "He had the neck collar on because he was reporting tingling in his legs and some tingling across the whole left side of his body, so they had to make sure that he didn't have any spine damage."
Scholl told me she isn't seeking accountability from the teens involved but rather from law enforcement and town officials. She hopes for increased security presence at Cheektowaga Town Park, which her family and neighbors frequently visit.
Scholl told me about some of the issues she has experienced at the park.
"Children getting attacked by older teenagers," she said. "I have found used needles. There are homeless people using the park for shelter. There are men passed out on the grass. I found one the other day."
The town hall meeting provided a platform for residents to voice their concerns directly to their elected officials as the community works together to address these challenges.
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