Paul Camarda is a good neighbor
Putnam County Courier
July 27, 2000

Putnam developer Paul Camarda cares about his community.

Mr. Camarda has built the town an 840-foot long road that provides access to a new town park off Seminary Hill Road in Carmel. Thirty-seven acres of parkland were donated to the town by Mr. Camarda as part of his new housing development known as Willow Ridge.

Last week, members of the Carmel Town Board toured the site and commended Mr. Camarda for his interest shown to the residents of the Carmel-Mahopac area.

Councilman Robert Ravallo called the project "fantastic. Paul must be thanked. His philanthropic gesture to the town is really something. Once the park is completed, residents of the Carmel area will have a wonderful recreational resource for all to enjoy."

Councilman Norman Marino agreed, "Paul went well beyond the call of duty. By donating the land and constructing the road, Paul has provided our town with a great resource. In addition, Mr. Camarda even paid $213,000 in recreation fees. The guy is a wonderful neighbor."

Councilman Tim Wilson said he, too, was excited. Carmel currently does not have sufficient ball fields for its youth. The donation will go a long way in creating new recreational facilities for Carmel proper," he said.

Councilwoman Doris Stahl said she was not part of the original plan. However, "while campaigning last year, all I heard was a need for more ball fields. It's very exciting. Mr. Camarda has made a wonderful contribution that will go a long way."

Supervisor Frank DelCampo called the donation a "solid partnership between a developer who is interested in not only building homes but is also interested in his community. We need more fields. This project will give us many alternatives to provide quality recreation for our local residents."

A committee has been established to begin studying the park's construction. Mr. DelCampo said, "Plans have been put together to what goes where. Now that the road is completed and we can enter the parkland, we can begin to develop the fields and other facilities needed for a quality community park."

Mr. DelCampo said he hoped the new park would be open by next summer.