Town Hall Protest: 'Restore Our Park'

The signs and blue T's of protesters said it all: “Restore Alvan Petrus Memorial Park” and “Save Our Park.” 

These protesters, from Hands of Change Civic Association, Harbor Homes  and surrounding areas, have been spotted around town.  On Tuesday, they were at the Town Hall meeting. There, nearly 25 adults and children peacefully rallied hoping to restore their beloved park to its previous state when when it donned a basketball court, swings and slides. For more than 50 years, it was clean from the disarray of overgrown shrubs and weeds. And there was no six-foot fence around it.

The fence was erected more than two years ago by . It later proposed to build a senior citizen affordable apartment complex, but withdrew its application in March 2011.

Now Harbor Homes stakeholders are asking Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman and the Town Board why they cannot have the park back. 

“We are being denied that it is a park and children are skateboarding in the parking lot and the street where they can get hurt,” said Hands of Change Civic Association Secretary Stacy Brown. “In 2003 the Town Supervisor May Newburger said it should be a park.”

Civic Association President Wandell Thomas said kids now play in unsafe conditions. And Port Washington resident Donald Peshkin said the Town did not give permission to erect the fence.

“I live in the community for over 45 years and that land belongs to the children, and the fence should come down,” Peshkin said. “The park is only 1.5 acres of land and the Town should investigate this.”

According to Sean Rainey, executive director of North Hempstead Housing Authority, several complaints from Harbor Homes residents were reported before the fence installation, and the basketball court inside the park was in poor shape.

“More people from Harbor Homes have to weigh in, not just residents from nearby areas, and there has to be a plan in place how the park would be renovated and safe for children,” said Rainey. “The Housing Authority can’t run a park – we provide housing. We would have to get State government approval to renovate the park and take down the fence, and Harbor Homes, LLP, would have to also weigh in. There is a playground on the Harbor Homes property for small children to play in.”

 Deputy Chief Ronald DeMeo said he has no records of disturbances or criminal activity at the park or since . But prior to that overhaul, there were several calls of disturbances from Harbor Homes and the park area.

“The police department was never told about a fence that would surround Alvan Petrus Memorial Park, and we never made any recommendations to put up a fence,” DeMeo said. “The fence is an eyesore, but it would require time, effort and money to renovate this park. I am in favor of removing the fence and opening up the park so the children can play in it.”

Kaiman plans to meet with area stakeholders within three weeks to discuss concerns about the park. No word yet on the date and location.

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