By Ken Hesselbacher

May 17, 2022: Recently, I was walking around Bronxville Lake with my grandchildren Eric, 5, and Caroline, 4. Although we have walked around the lake many many times, there was something missing during this trip. Superstorm Ida had washed away the bridge on the southern end of the lake known as Pe-Pa’s Bridge. Fortunately, the bridge located on the northern end of the lake, known as Eric’s Bridge, had survived the storm. Caroline also has a bridge named in her honor which is upriver!

Walking along, Eric suddenly asked, “Build Back Better, Build Back Better, this is all that I hear. What does it mean, Pe-Pa?” Well, I thought for a moment and replied to both Eric and Caroline, “Ask not what your grandparents can do for you. You are the future! Rather ask what you can do for your grandchildren! Yes, someday your grandchildren will be asking you what you did for them!”

Eric and Caroline pondered this and came up with a great idea. They looked at their Staten Island Ferry toy (see photo below) and realized that the ramp was the perfect size to cross Pe-Pa’s Bridge.

They would negotiate with New York City and purchase two decommissioned ramps which fit perfectly over the bridge. They would acquire the two ramps under a special “buy one get on free” program, which would eliminate any supply chain concerns. They would charge $.10 cents to cross the bridge until there were sufficient funds to build a more efficient and modern bridge. This bridge would have water turbines generating energy from the nearby waterfall, solar panels generating energy from the sun, and rotating wind turbines generating energy from the wind. All natural resources with no damage to the planet!

And best of all, with the money generated from selling any excess energy, they could start their next project, reducing the carbon footprint once they figure out exactly what that means!

So as I walk around Bronxville Lake holding hands with Eric and Caroline, I just feel that I, and the world, are in good hands. And best of all, when we arrive back home at River House, Grandy Sandy will have a special dinner ready for us.

Photos courtesy Ken Hesselbacher