creation of affordable housing. To that end, 20 units have already entered the marketplace, with four additional units now planned, towards the suggested goal of 32 units for the Village. The Village should build on its successes by continuing to maintain and improve on the existing economic diversity of housing stock The Village, in partnership with the Croton Housing Network, has identified and employed a variety of opportunities to advance the creation of this affordable housing in the Village. These have included: new construction, Village-contributed land, developercontributed land, homes built by developers, use of derelict Village property, and developer-included units. These strategies, along PAGE 109 CROTON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN with the possibilities for acquisition of existing buildings for conversion to affordable units should be identified and explored. The population and income groups whose needs are not currently being met should be identified through the evaluation of currently available information and the independent acquisition of data by the Village. Creative study of the existing situation will aid in understanding the need for affordable housing in the future and in identifying opportunities for expansion of the affordable housing stock. Studies should be designed to identify the economic groups now living in the Village as well as their living conditions. This should include an inventory of existing rental stock, both legal and illegal under current rules, with a determination of the rents being charged and the income of the occupants. Analysis of this data will prove invaluable in the ongoing effort to identify and meet affordable housing needs. Future planning for affordable housing in the Village should include exploration of opportunities to create choices allowing senior citizens to “age in place” and remain in the community as well as for new families to enter the community. PAGE 110 CROTON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 4.7 Community Facilities and Services In the Resident Survey and public workshops conducted for this Plan, Croton-on-Hudson residents indicated that they were satisfied with the level of community facilities and services, praising Village services such as the police and fire departments, the library, and the beauty of the Village’s parks and open space areas. However, residents noted the need for a community center and improvements to the parks system and water and sewer systems. Recommendations to address such improvements are described below. a. Community Center Croton-on-Hudson residents, particularly senior citizens, would be well-served by a community facility that provided a central place for meeting and activities. In addition, Croton-on-Hudson residents have expressed an interest in an arts and cultural facility that could showcase local artists and provide performance space. As discussed in Section 4.2, and the Recreation Master Plan dated December 12, 2002, the Katz property in the Municipal Place/Croton Commons commercial area of the Village is one possible location for a community center. The 2.4-acre site, which is presently vacant, is centrally located on the north side of Municipal Place adjacent to the automobile dealership, within walking distance of the Harmon neighborhood and Upper Village. Development of the site for community use, possibly coupled with office use, would help establish the Municipal Place area as a mixed-use center. The Village could consider purchasing the site and developing it for these uses. b. Katz property at Municipal Place Parks and Recreational Facilities Recommendations for parks and recreation focus on two areas: improving maintenance and accessibility at existing facilities, and expanding recreational facilities to meet additional demand in the Village. Park Maintenance Croton-on-Hudson’s parks and open space areas are heavily used and valued by the community. To ensure the maximum enjoyment of the Village’s open spaces and parks, the Village should commit to fully funding the maintenance of each of its existing and future parks. Maintenance plans at Duck Pond Park should be expanded to address improving the water quality of the pond and landscaping throughout the Park. At Senasqua Park, the dirt and noise caused by the large geese population should be addressed. At Black Rock Park, a plan for making it more user-friendly should be developed. Senasqua Park playground PAGE 111 CROTON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN New Recreational Facilities Residents are satisfied with the existing recreational facilities in Croton-on-Hudson but feel there is a need for additional facilities. In particular, interest in swimming facilities, bicycling trails, additional playing fields and an ice skating area was frequently expressed in the Resident Survey and public workshops conducted for this Plan. The need for skateboard facilities and additional fields for soccer and Little League practices was also expressed. Village government should work with the community and Recreation Department to prioritize needed facilities, identify new opportunities and evaluate their viability, in terms of location and cost. c. Village Utilities: Water and Sewer Supply The water and sewer systems adequately serve the Village at the present time. However, the demand for water and the age of the sewer system