When is an Amusement Park not amusing?

Ans: When it’s county park in your back yard!



The Nassau County Administration put out an RFP (Request for Proposal) last year for some one to build a Sportplex in Cedar Creek Park in Wantagh/Seaford. This was to include a Go Cart Track and miniature golf. After having to extend the submission deadline a few times, a would be developer has submitted the only proposal.



A group lead by one Philip Tavella of Diversified Financial Consultants. Inc. aka Investacorp, Inc. of Bellmore has submitted plans to build a humongous, professional Go Cart race track from Kart Attack of Bay Shore directly behind the Cedar Creek Water Treatment Plant and a Miniature Golf facility directly behind the Jones Beach Hotel on Byron Street in Wantagh.



On the following pages you can see maps of the proposals.



First the Go Cart Track: Kart Attack bill its tracks as competition grade, x-treme sport tracks for use by adults, primarily. Up to 12 souped up carts will race over an intricate, extended track creating a great deal of noise pollution especially to the Seaford residents and marinas just across Cedar Creek to the east, Cedar Creek Park proper to the south and Wantagh Park and marina to the west, not to mention the Water Treatment Plant itself (which adds its own noxious odors to the mix). Add to that the traffic and crowd noises and the little serenity available to county park users in Wantagh & Seaford will be lost.



Second the Miniature Golf: High mast lights and crowd noise adjacent to a residential area insures no rest for the weary in that area, either. It will also block easy access to the Jones Beach bike path along Wantagh Parkway.



Thirdly, a proposed ball field complex will mean the removal of the hill (the only one in the area) used by local children to snow sled in the winter.



This project will also negatively impact the Cedar Creek park Aerodrome and the small Tether Track which is nestled near the water treatment plant.



Is here an upside to this? Not for residents and park users in the area. The developer intends to make big bucks for his, up to 20 year, lease and is exempt from Town and School taxes. Not bad. Not bad at all. Mr. Tavella touts his directorship of the Darryl Strawberry Foundation aka Center for Autism Education as the only justification he needs for this facility and is unable or unwilling to counter objections above. Mr. Tavella must understand that the community affected is not against special needs children but believes they can be best served by a private facility on private land and not by one on a public park that harms the community at large.



More to come on Nickerson Beach & the Meadowbrook Preserve..



Bruce Piel, Chairman

Park Advocacy & Recreation Council of Nassau (PARCnassau)

246 Twin Lane East

Wantagh, NY, 11793

(516) 783-8378







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Note: The Go Cart Track is across from Seaford homes, Seaford Harbor School and marinas to the east; Wantagh Park and marina to the west and Cedar Creek Park proper to the north. The “Rec Center” is an existing DPW garage. The Ball Field Complex is on the sledding hill and the “mini-golf” is behind a Wantagh neighborhood. If there ever was a justified NIMBY this is it.





As you can see from this layout, this is not a kid’s go cart track for soap boxes with lawn mower engines but a professional race track for high speed (and noise) vehicles with parking and pit areas.