Pucillo turned a public eyesore into a jewel

Our family is humbled by the attribution you gave my father, Steve Pucillo, in your recent article ("Removal of Birdhouses Ruffles Feathers" Feb. 10,). We are big believers in the power of volunteerism and also big believers in the power of effective local government. So you can imagine our delight when we heard that the Westchester County Parks Department has taken such a keen interest in what they now refer to as the “park” on the South County Trail. This is not about birdhouses; this is about seeing the potential for beauty in our public spaces and applying our collective will as a community to turning neglected eyesores into valuable jewels worth fighting for. Steve inspired his granddaughters, Groundwork Hudson Valley, and numerous other groups and individuals to donate their time, muscle, and materials, and the results have spoken for themselves.

We welcome First Deputy Parks Commissioner Peter Tartaglia's and Director of Conservation Jason Klein's attention to this beautiful resource, and we are grateful that they will be caring for the new park with the time, money, and other resources that it has always deserved. Clearing trails, lopping invasive vines, and caring for and maintaining butterfly houses, benches, docks, and bridges is a tremendous undertaking. We will be watching closely, rooting for their success. After this week's outpouring of support for the volunteers' work from our community, there are rumors that some of the birdhouses will be returned to the trail in some form. If true, it is a development we welcome. If not, we eagerly await the return of Steve’s birdhouses so we can find a new way to share and celebrate his art with everyone who has shown so much gratitude to him and the other volunteers.