Archive: Around Town

The Lansing Town Board approved the construction of a permanent barbecue pavilion in the parking lot in front of the Town ball fields at their October meeting a week and a half ago.  The Pavilion is to be named for the late Dr. Robert C. Baker, who, in addition to inventing more than 40 chicken innovations is the creator of Cornell Sauce, which, as well as being used around the world to flavor barbecued chicken, has been used on countless thousands of chickens that have been barbecued in front of the Town Hall.  Town Supervisor Ed LaVigne proposed naming the 48 foot long pavilion for Baker.

"After all, we've been using his sauce forever," LaVigne said.  "Dale Baker mentioned lettering 'Robert C. Baker Memorial Pavilion' on one end and 'Home of the Chicken Barbecue' on the other end because he was so instrumental in developing ways to serve chicken."


The pavilion is one of several adjustments to be made to the area between the Lansing library and Woodsedge Road.  The Town is negotiating with TCAT to put a bus stop shelter on the property, and town officials are talking about a sidewalk in the area.  Additionally, the end of Woodsedge Road is to be moved slightly to the west to create a 4 way intersection with State Route 34B and a new road that will go to Milton Meadows, a new development to be constructed by Rochester's Cornerstone Group on land purchased from the town, located across the street from the ball fields.  LaVigne also mentioned the Woodsedge Apartments sign at the end of Woodsedge Drive may be moved to the other side of the street.

Moving the road is contingent on Cornerstone group getting its funding and purchasing the property on October 31.  If that is successful the Town has obtained a grant to pay for materials, and the Highway Department will provide the equipment and labor.  The developer is responsible for constructing the road leading to Milton Meadows.

Councilman Joe Wetmore proposed a rough site plan showing all the elements being considered for the area, noting the Town requires a site plan from other developers.

"Let's put together a preliminary site plan where all these elements are sketched in in their places so we can see that we have a working plan," he said. "If we have a site plan where everything that we're talking about  -- it's not just the Woodsedge sign.  There are a couple of signs out here that people are talking about moving for better visibility."

But LaVigne wanted to have the flexibility to begin construction on the pavilion as soon as the weather allows.  Board members agreed to having a plan developed quickly, but wanted to give the OK to the pavilion quickly so that if the weather permits, and the Highway Department has a break in its schedule, the new pavilion can go up before the end of this year.  He said around $10,000 has been donated for the project, so the pavilion could go up any time if the Highway Department gets materials for it right away.

Highway Superintendent Charlie 'Cricket' Purcell said his crew could build the pavilion as early as this week if the weather allowed (as it turned out the weather didn't cooperate this week).  Purcell said the project has been discussed for at least four years, and the only possible spot to locate it is from the corner in front of the batting area, closet to the Lansing Community Library toward Woodsedge Drive.

"We're taking the first nine parking spots," Purcell said. "In turn those parking spots will go on the other side where the existing chicken barbecue spot is.  The money's there.  The materials are going to be readily available.  If for some reason the weather changes and it's going to be 70 degrees for a week... I've got pretty good guys.  They went to the Village and banged out a pavilion for them in a week.  So I only need just a few good days."

In addition to Cornell Sauce, Baker's inventions famously included chicken nuggets and turkey hot dogs.  A Lansing resident, he was a Cornell University professor who also created North Lansing's Baker's Acres along with his family, which still owns and operates it, as well as Baker's Chicken Coop, a restaurant at the New York State Fair that famously served chicken made with Cornell Sauce to Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton in 1999.  He was also instrumental in the construction of Woodsedge Apartments, a popular subsidized senior apartment building at the south end of the ball fields.  He passed away in 2006.


Wetmore in particular has been anxious to negotiate a bus stop structure with TCAT, partly on the grounds that it would benefit riders, and partly because it would help insure Lansing bus routes are retained.

"I like the idea of TCAT putting a bus stop there, because it will stop the discussion of ending the bus route through here," he said. "If they put a bus stop with a shelter, those discussions stop happening."

Purcell said that he and Recreation Director Pat Tyrrell have looked at potential locations for a bus stop.

"Pat and I went over and looked at it," he said. "It's tough to lose parking spaces.  I personally like the idea of using the second entrance way.  If you took two parking spots from the center of that, to me it's a great spot.  t's back a ways from the road.  The bus comes there naturally.  They walk out of that structure, get on the bus."

Town officials are hopeful that the pavilion can be completed this year.

"I would like to get going on that pavilion, at least, if the weather allows," LaVigne said. "At least we can have the materials on hand so if we have a calm couple of days in December they could jump on this."

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