MEDIA RELEASE

FEBRUARY 24, 2009

CONTACT: JOSHUA SLAUGHTER
    Office:  (631) 852-1300
Cell:  (631) 456-1718
 Email: Joshua.Slaughter@suffolkcountyny.gov

SKATE PARK LOCATION ANNOUNCED FOR MASTIC/SHIRLEY/MASTIC BEACH

Browning, Baldassare Say Town Willing To Lease Land to County

Mastic Beach, NY- Legislator Kate Browning (WF-Shirley) was joined today by Acting Brookhaven Town Supervisor Lori Baldassare, William Floyd School District Superintendent Dr. Paul Casciano, Brookhaven Superintendent of Highways John Rouse, civic leaders from the tri-hamlet area, and Teri Germano of the Mastic-Moriches-Shirley Library Teen Services Department, to announce an inter-municipal effort to locate a skate park on Brookhaven Town property for the residents of Mastic, Mastic Beach, and Shirley. Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy could not attend the event, but put his full support behind the proposal.

Legislator Browning announced the plan prior to introducing a resolution to extend the life of a $250,000 capital project previously earmarked to construct a skate park at Smith Point Beach. That location proved to not be viable for such a facility, and Legislator Browning began a search for an alternative location in 2006. After exhausting all possibilities to utilize existing county property in the area, the legislator looked to the Town of Brookhaven for assistance. After making several requests for cooperation to town officials, Acting Supervisor Baldassare responded by agreeing to discuss town property across from William Floyd High School.

“I want to thank Acting Supervisor Lori Baldassare for giving the county the opportunity to move this project forward for the children of Mastic, Mastic Beach, and Shirley,” stated Browning. “The county was going to lose $250,000 if we didn’t act quickly to solidify a location. I have always targeted this parcel as the best choice, but a commitment from the town had been lacking. Today, we have a commitment to move the process forward and facilitate action by the town board.”

The Mastic pool, which is operated in cooperation with the YMCA, and a Brookhaven Town highway yard are currently located on the property. There is additional space not being utilized, which leaves a perfect opportunity to improve the recreational opportunities for children in the community.

“Just as we provided outlets for our youth last year with the re-opening of the Smith Point Youth Project,” said Suffolk Executive Steve Levy, “we are happy to lend our support to Legislator Browning and the town board in constructing a skateboard park for the youth in the William Floyd area.”

The absence of a designated site for the hundreds of children who skateboard in the area has caused many quality of life issues. The King Kullen in Shirley and the Mastic-Moriches-Shirley Library parking lots have been used by skateboarders who have no where else to go, and many problems have arisen because of this. Various petitions have been circulated over the years to persuade elected officials that there is a great need for a skate park, and today those requests are being answered.

“Our kids really deserve this recreational facility,” said Dr. Paul Casciano, Superintendent of Schools for the William Floyd School District.  “It’s great to see the County and Town working together to bring this project to fruition, which demonstrates how powerful this community can be when we work in a unified manner.”

The Town of Brookhaven and Suffolk County will now begin negotiations to enter into a lease agreement for the property, and the details of an exact location for the skate park within the parcel will be addressed soon. The county can then move forward on appropriating the $250,000 for the new site.

“It’s great to have all levels of government working together,” said Buddy Pulsonetti, who is a Brookhaven Highway employee and resident of Shirley. “I am a 33 year employee of the highway department, and we have plenty of room to accommodate what the kids will need. Legislator Browning is doing a great job for this community.”  

“It has been a very frustrating process, but where there is a will, there is a way,” concluded Browning. “The children of the tri-hamlet area have been screaming for a skate park and they deserve one. Due to the persistence of my office, the responsiveness of Acting Supervisor Baldassare, and the assistance Superintendent of Highways John Rouse, this issue will now be brought before the full town board. We finally can see some light at the end of the tunnel.”