Nickerson (Nassau) Beach Update

Nickerson (Nassau) Beach Park

The Parks Department sells seasonal vehicle parking decals for the beach park, $40 for seniors and $80 for everyone else. In previous years the decals were mounted inside the window glass on the cars where they are checked when one enters.

This year they decided to place the decals on the outside of the glass. They believe that due to tinted windows the seasonal kids manning the gate would not be able to read decals mounted inside. That doesn't happen to be true but we will address that in a moment.

The main problem is that the outside mounted deals can be peeled off by hand and reused or destroyed depending on the intent of the vandal. The county may have created a cottage industry at Nickerson in the theft and resale of beach parking decals.

When county residents brought this problem to the attention of the park director, she stated those were her orders and if a decal was stolen or destroyed, the victim would have to pay the daily entry fee of $8 until they reported the theft to the police, obtained verification of the report and brought it to the park. At that time the decal would be replaced and the new decal placed on the outside of the window. When concerned county residents contacted Eisenhower Park with the problem, they were told that was the policy but they would replace stolen decals ASAP.

First, the decals can be read through a legally tinted window, though a employee might have to actually stand up and look closely, Heaven forbid! NYS prohibits tinting auto windshields and front seat side windows "Limo Black", so here should be no problem placing the decals there. In addition, the county added bar codes on the decals this year. They can also be scanned through legally tinted windows. Unfortunately the county has no scanners, so that is not really a problem.

What is a problem is a system that is unable to recognize the validity of a resident's complaint, then investigate and change a defective procedure, when necessary. The 2010 beach season is just starting. So, Parks Department, place the deals on the inside where they are relatively protected from vandals and thieves!

What's happening in your county park?

Update on Wantagh Park

Wantagh Park - Family Festival

First the good news. The county along with Dover Foods (Park's Concessionaire for food service) and Newton Shows held a Family Festival over the past four days in Wantagh park. Newton Shows set up about 12 rides/amusements, Dover set up a food service area and an ice cream truck in a parking lot in the center of the park. The children loved it and the festival did not interfere with any other park activities. Hopefully, even the county made a few dollars. This is just the sort of thing our active parks need to bring Nassau residents and taxpayers back into their parks and we applaud them for it. This is also done at Christopher Morley Park and, we suggest, many more county parks. Bravo!

The only down side was that the county didn't flag the community or any park organizations that the event was going to occur. Except for a sign posted at the park entrance, no one knew what to expect.Not that anyone's permission was needed but rather that an opportunity to involve the community in a beneficial event was lost. Attendance, despite the nice weather, was described as marginal. By involving the local communities, i.e. Chambers of Commerce, Veteran's Organizations, Park Advocates, etc.the chance to invite hundreds more county residents was lost. Local VFWs or American Legion posts could have manned booths with benefit information for local veterans. Chambers of Commerce could have promoted their "downtowns" and all could have advertised the festival to their membership and neighbors. In addition, should there be a major problem with such an event (this was not the case this time) there would have been an opportunity to identify and address it before the fact rather than after it.

Now the bad news:

Wantagh Park - Marine Playground

Over two years ago, in response to a request of proposals, Friends of Wantagh parks submitted at request for the county to use environmental Bond funds to rebuild the Marine Playground in the middle of Wantagh Park. This was done, as requested, via email which the county "lost". After several calls and complaints the project was put on the list. The intent was to create a marine themed, fully serviced playground for children from 5 to 12 years of age in the recreational area in mid park.This was submitted during the last administration. The resultant playground is a toddler area with virtually no equipment or other amenities. It is depressing and disappointing and will be when the grass and shrubs are included. The Deputy Commissioner, now gone, responsible didn't care to include the community in the planning and the results reflect that.

We plan to reach out to the new administration and request additional bond funds to expand the usable equipment to allow children up to 12 years of age to enjoy the Marine Playground.

Wantagh Park - Marina & Launch Ramp

In an attempt to garner more revenue from the marina the past county administration had the contractor rebuilding the marina bulkhead install additional poles to allow about 40 additional slips, which was done last year. The county intended to install the actual docks themselves but found they didn't have the wood?????
The poles have been sitting there thru the winter awaiting DPW to get the lumber and begin construction. When PARCnassau looked over the intended project, last year, we found one problem. The extension of B dock can potentially present a danger to boaters under the following circumstances. On a busy weekend, in bad weather at the end of a boating day, dozens and dozens of boats run for their slips and the launch ramp. The area in which they could circle has been reduced by the 10 extra slips the county intends to build on the north end of the marina. Last year we wrote the past administration and pointed this out and suggested that the B dock extension be reduced, for safety reasons, by 6 slips. The county at that time failed to respond.
We will be speaking to the new administration and try to resolve this issue.

What is happening at your county parks, good and bad, let us know.