WINDSOR – A former Windsor Commissioner came before the board to make a pair of suggestions here last week.

T.R. “Buddy” Shaw appeared before the town board in their regular monthly meeting to suggest they consider adding a dog park and skate park to help those already in the municipality and to attract those from the surrounding communities.

Shaw, who served 18 years as a town board member, said there were a lot of steps taken when he was an elected official, including the paving of municipal parking lots, brick sidewalks, the aluminum light poles, and trees that placed on King and Granville streets.

“They weren’t without criticism,” Shaw said. “They all turned out good and it was money well spent.”

He further stated that the Livermon Park and Zoo, the restoration of the Freeman Hotel and the Windsor Fire Department building were all done with local monies and he felt they were all beneficial to the town.

“I’m here to suggest a couple of innovative ideas,” Shaw said.

He then suggested the town have a dog park that would help those who had retired in the community have a place to walk their animals.

“People have retired here with dogs and some of them have small yards,” Shaw said. “People need a place to exercise their dogs.”

He said a park could be built with a gazebo, fence and pond at very little expense to the town, but of great benefit to its residents.

Shaw then suggested a town skate park which would be beneficial for youngsters who enjoy the sport.

“We have people that would come and bring their kids to play in the skate park while they conducted business down town,” Shaw said.

He said he believed people would visit Windsor from Martin, Hertford and Chowan counties if the park were in existence.

Commissioner Joe Alexander asked if a skate park was part of the plans for the Bertie County Recreation site just outside of Windsor and Shaw said he wasn’t sure.

Commissioner Bob Brown said he was interested in the two ideas.

“I don’t have a dog, but I would certainly be for a dog park,” Brown said. “I’m interested in the skate park. We need to check into it and check out our liability.”

Mayor Jimmy Hoggard said he thought the presentation would be good to present to the Main Street committee because they were working on a major presentation to come to the commissioners.

Brown stated he was interested in any projects that would draw more people to Windsor and other board members concurred.

Alexander said he would check with Bertie County Recreation Director Donna Mizelle and find out if the skate park is part of the county’s plans. He also agreed to present those two ideas to the Main Street committee since he represents the board as a member of that group.

Town Administrator Allen Castelloe noted there was a group called the Tony Hawk Foundation that sometimes helped with skate parks and he would check into it for more information.

By consensus, the board agreed to refer the matter to the Main Street committee.