Rec Sports

Thomas Gianola | Obituaries | rutlandherald.com

Published

3 months ago

August 27, 2025

Thomas Gianola LUDLOW — Thomas “Tom” Gianola, 68, passed away on August 1, 2025, surrounded by the love of his family after a courageous battle with cancer. Born in White Plains, New York, on April 18, 1957, Tom was the eldest child of Christian and Mary Patricia (Brayton) Gianola. He enjoyed a lively childhood with his four siblings and graduated from White Plains High School in 1975. Summers at his grandparents’ Vermont farm became some of his most treasured memories. Tom earned a degree in Business Administration from the University of Vermont and later an MBA from Northeastern University. He built a career and family in Massachusetts, raising three children, before moving to Lake Stevens, Washington, where he coached youth sports and devoted himself to his kids. In 2014, he returned to Vermont and ran the Echo Lake Inn in Tyson, where his warmth and humor welcomed all who visited. Tom was preceded in death by his parents and his son, Michael. He is survived by daughters Christin Torres (Travis) and Jessica Hylback (Spencer) & granddaughter Kennedy. He will be remembered for his wit, love of sports, and devotion to family. A Funeral Mass will be held on October 17, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. at St. Raphael Catholic Church in Poultney, Vermont, followed by interment. A Celebration of Life will take place on October 18, 2025, from 1:00–4:00 p.m. at the Echo Lake Inn in Tyson, Vermont.

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Rec Sports

‘Horrible location:’ Proposed Eagle Costco sparks heated backlash and traffic concerns in a neighborhood meeting

Published

58 minutes ago

December 5, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Tensions flared as nearly 200 Eagle residents packed a gymnasium to oppose Costco’s plans, voicing concerns about traffic safety and community character.

EAGLE, Idaho — Nearly 200 Eagle residents filled the gymnasium at Eagle Academy High School on Thursday night to voice concerns about a proposed 160,000-square-foot Costco warehouse and fuel station at the intersection of Highway 55 and Hill Road.

The membership-only retailer wants to build on 27 acres that once housed the Masterpiece Quarry, which closed in 2003. The site has sat largely vacant since, though previous plans for a Village at Meridian-like concept never materialized. A for sale sign is currently on the property.

Highway 55 is one of Idaho’s most heavily traveled roads, and residents told KTVB traffic is already a major concern.

“There’s been a lot of development and a lot more traffic than it used to be,” said Greg Drabek, who lives near the intersection. “Eagle is not the little town it used to be.”

Erika Lunbeck, who lives just 500 feet from the proposed site, said she learned about the project only recently.

“48 hours prior to this meeting, I received a notice on my door that there was going to be a question-and-answer session here tonight,” Lunbeck said.

When the meeting turned out to be an informational open house rather than a group question-and-answer format, tensions rose among attendees.

“It’s a waste of our time to be here,” said Ray Gillenwater, who also lives near the project. “We get a three-minute spiel from a real estate developer, and then he says, now it’s an open house. Go and walk around. It’s like, well, no, we’re here to give you our feedback. We’re here to have a conversation.”

John Shaw, a director of real estate development for Costco, facilitated the meeting. He told KTVB this is the typical style of neighborhood meetings they’ve held in the past, and once a formal application is submitted with the city a public hearing opportunity would be held. He added that a neighborhood meeting is a requirement to hold before a formal application for the project to the city.

Residents could ask questions individually to engineers stationed around the room at different poster boards. The majority of people KTVB spoke to were against the project, mainly due to traffic concerns, while a few saw the project as a good economic opportunity for the area.

Engineers at Kittleson and Associates, who completed a traffic study for the project and submitted it to Ada County Highway District (ACHD), said they estimate thousands of vehicle trips to and from the Costco each day. They’ve drafted plans to widen roads and add roundabouts in the area to help with any concerns. The engineers said the traffic study could be modified before Costco submits a final application, with a traffic study to the city for consideration.

Costco is planning for approximately 900 parking spots at the location. Even with proposals for traffic improvements, residents still worry traffic will spill over into the nearby neighborhoods and roads.

“You put a business with that much volume right next to all these houses, and it just destroys the whole community,” Gillenwater said.

“It’s a horrible location,” Lunbeck said.

Lunbeck said the location is particularly dangerous because it sits across from the Optimist Youth Sports Complex.

“There are so many children crossing the streets. The amount of cars going through is astronomical, astronomical, and it’s only a matter of time before something seriously tragic will happen,” Lunbeck said. “It is a horrible location.”

She also raised concerns about local wildlife but said project members didn’t have many answers.

“We have prong horn on our street,” Lunbeck said. “We have golden eagles flying above it. These are supposed to be protected habitats, and I see no protections happening.”

Shaw did not indicate when Costco plans to submit land use applications to the city of Eagle.

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