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Nissequogue River State Park Foundation

Nissequogue River State Park, located on the grounds of the former Kings Park Psych Center. Photo by Donna Deddy

A piece of legislation that would have begun the process of creating a master plan for the Nissequogue River State Park was vetoed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) Jan. 1, putting the future development of the park up in the air. 

“The park described in this bill is the subject  of  recent  litigation against  the  park’s office  and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation,” Cuomo stated. “In light of the fact  that  the  litigation  addresses  an environmental review conducted by the State related to uses in this very park, it would be inappropriate to sign this legislation.”

The park, located on the grounds of the former Kings Park Psychiatric Center, has been a popular destination for area residents who enjoy hiking, jogging, bird-watching and accessing the local waterways via its marina. But many of the site’s derelict buildings prevent the place from being truly enjoyable. Many people find the old institution creepy. 

New York State lawmakers passed a bipartisan bill in June sponsored by Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport) and Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) that would have required state parks officials to begin a master plan for the park. 

“If there is any park that is in need of a master plan it is Nissequogue River State Park,” he said. “The pieces are already in place and were working toward that.”

– John McQuaid

The introduction of a master plan would have included input from residents, state agencies and other stakeholders. It would also include assessing park resources, outlining future goals/cost of development and allowing the demolition of a number of dilapidated buildings on the grounds. 

John McQuaid, president of the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation, said he was disappointed to hear of the governor’s decision. 

“If there is any park that is in need of a master plan it is Nissequogue River State Park,” he said. “The pieces are already in place and were working toward that.”

McQuaid admitted that he believes the veto may have been political, stemming from the foundation’s decision to sue the state park’s office and Department of Environmental Conservation over the siting of a DEC Division of Marines Resources building in the park. 

Smithtown, state and local officials including County Executive Steve Bellone (D) attended a rally Dec. 20 in support of the proposed project.  

According to Smithtown and county officials, the state project is expected to be an economic boost that would bring  in approximately 500 construction jobs, 100 permanent positions, plus the added year-round police presence in the state park. 

“We have never been against a DEC building on the property,” McQuaid said. “But we were against the location of the building, if we had the master plan process we could avoid this, everyone would have their say and input.”

The proposed site of the building would be in close proximity to the park’s marina. McQuaid deemed the location “inappropriate.”  

State officials who helped sponsor the master plan legislation were left confused about Cuomo’s decision.  

“The veto made no sense, there is an obvious need for a master plan. It feels like the state has walked away from the property.”

– Steve Englebright

“I am both shocked and disappointed by this action and feel like our community deserves better,” Flanagan said in a statement. “Unfortunately, Gov. Andrew Cuomo decided to veto this legislation instead of joining us in protecting our community, our environment and our way of life.”

Since 2006, Flanagan said his office worked with former Gov. George Pataki (R) to ensure the land is protected by halting the sale of land to developers, adding additional land to the park system. In addition, they secured over $31 million in state funding and worked with local leaders to ensure continued efforts to preserve and remediate the property.

Flanagan said he stands ready to work with all interested parties to see if they can reach an agreeable compromise on this important issue. 

“I continue to be optimistic that we can work out a solution, and will return to Albany in January ready to work to find an amicable solution that protects the residents of Kings Park,” he said. 

Englebright offered similar sentiments and was hopeful lawmakers would revisit this issue. 

“The veto made no sense, there is an obvious need for a master plan,” he said. “It feels like the state has walked away from the property.”

McQuaid echoed the state officials’ thoughts saying the foundation is anxious to sit down with the parks office and state officials so they come to some type of agreement. 

Previously, there had been discussions about repurposing park land for a sports field, a concert area and a community center.

Residents gather at the marina in Nissequogue River State Park for the 2018 Regatta on the River. This year’s launch is planned for July 13 at the same location. A family barbecue and picnic is scheduled after the paddle. High school students help to coordinate the event and encourage residents to join in to enjoy all the park has to offer. Photo from the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation

For the fourth year running, Kings Park students are working to bring the Smithtown community together to raise funds for the upkeep and improvement of Nissequogue River State Park. All residents are invited to participate July 13 in the annual canoe, kayak and paddleboard regatta at the park’s South Marina at 799 Saint Johnland Road in Kings Park. 

Residents gather at the marina in Nissequogue River State Park for the 2018 Regatta on the River. This year’s launch is planned for July 13 at the same location. A family barbecue and picnic is scheduled after the paddle. High school students help to coordinate the event and encourage residents to join in to enjoy all the park has to offer. Photo from the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation

The Nissequogue River State Park Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the park for future generations, is coordinating the event with students. The event, called Regatta on the River, is sponsored by the Reichert family, owners of the East Northport and Fort Salonga IGA supermarkets, and will feature both a competitive 10-mile race that begins at 9 a.m. and a leisurely five-mile excursion that begins at 9:30 a.m. This year the event includes a barbecue and picnic. 

Three co-presidents of the foundation’s student board, Emily Dinan, Caleigh Lynch and Juliana Quigley, have worked together to organize this year’s event. Last year, the regatta event raised a total of more than $2,500. Lynch, a senior at St. Anthony’s High School in Melville, said the student board makes decisions about the regatta for the organization, which instills leadership qualities among board members.   

“Knowing that our involvement with the board is making a difference right here in my own community is an amazing feeling,” she said. “It will be amazing to see all of our hard work from January to July go into full effect.”

Dinan, a senior at Kings Park High School, said being on the board allows her and others to give families in the community a fun activity to do and helps them raise money to beautify and help clean up the park. 

“We are excited to see how big our event grows each year,” she said. “I love seeing new faces among the familiar ones as they gear up and get ready to go out on the river.”

In preparation for the event, the group files the necessary permits for the event, designs T-shirts and obtains event sponsors. Dinan said everyone is responsible with helping spread the word about its events. Quigley, also a senior at Kings High School, said it feels great to help maintain the park. 

“There comes a sense of pride in the work we’ve done to contribute to this jewel in our backyard,” she said. A third-generation resident, the senior said she has been visiting the park all her life since her grandparents took her there when she was young. 

Dinan said many people have told them they didn’t even know how big the park was or that there was so much you could do.  Last year, paddleboarders were included in the regatta for the first time, and the group hopes they can get even more participants this year. 

Lynch said the park often gets a bad reputation for being located on the waterfront portion of the former Kings Park Psychiatric Center, stopping people from realizing how beautiful the park is. 

“I believe the park is one of Mother Nature’s greatest hits,” she said.  

All proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation for use in the park. To register for the many different options available for participation visit www.ourstatepark.com/4th-annual-regatta-on-the-river.

Residents paddle along in the 2017 Regatta on the River at Nissequogue River State Park. Photo from Nissequogue River State Park Foundation

By Anthony Petriello 

Residents are gearing up to take to the Nissequogue River in kayaks, canoes and, for the first time ever, on paddleboards to witness and preserve its beauty.

Kings Park students have come together to plan the third annual Regatta on the River Aug. 11 to raise funds for the upkeep and improvement of Nissequogue River State Park. The event is sponsored by the Reichert family, owners of the Larkfield and Fort Salonga IGA supermarkets, and features a competitive 10-mile race starting at 11 a.m., followed by a leisurely 5-mile race at 11:30 a.m.

“Each year the regatta has grown and we look forward to another successful event this year,” said John McQuaid, president of the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the park and its assets for future generations. 

Each year the regatta has grown and we look forward to another successful event this year.”

– John McQuaid

The foundation was created to work together with students to plan events and fundraisers to keep the park clean and up-to-date for local residents to enjoy.

Emily Dinan, Caleigh Lynch and Juliana Quigley are three co-presidents of the foundation’s student board who have worked together to organize this year’s event.

“The student board allows high school students like myself to get hands on experience in giving back to our community,” Lynch said, a student of Saint Anthony’s High School in Melville. “This experience is different than most others that are available for students our age, as we are given a great deal of responsibility in obtaining sponsors, filing permits, handing out fliers, etc.”

Under the guidance of McQuaid, the student board held meetings to organize the event by creating flyers to hang around town, filing the necessary permits and obtaining sponsors. The board also looked at what was and was not successful in previous regattas, and took those elements into account in planning this year’s event.

Dinan, who will be a senior at Kings Park High School this fall, said she is humbled by the opportunity that she and her other co-presidents have to generate positive attention for the park built on the former grounds of Kings Park Psychiatric Center.

In our own backyard, we have a recreational gem comparable to any of the parks in upstate New York and my wish is that our community takes full advantage of it.”

– Juliana Quigley

“This beautiful park doesn’t get the attention it deserves,” she said. “Of course we, the student board, want the regatta to be an even bigger hit than it’s been in the past, but the real goal is for people to see the beauty of the park and see what else it has to offer.”

Paddleboarders are welcome to take part in the regatta this year for the first time, after the committee received numerous inquiries from prior participants. The students hope the addition of paddleboards will attract even more residents and help further bolster the park’s rising popularity among Long Islanders. Quigley, who will be a senior at Kings Park High School this fall and third-generation resident, said she believes that Nissequogue River State Park rivals any other New York state park.

“Whether it was kayaking on the river or walking along the trails, my family has been able to fully utilize the various recreational purposes that this park serves.” she said. “In our own backyard, we have a recreational gem comparable to any of the parks in upstate New York and my wish is that our community takes full advantage of it.”

Registration for the 10-mile race costs from $45 to $60 per person, depending on watercraft type and whether a rental is needed. Cost of the 5-mile course starts at $25 increasing to $55. Adult spectators are asked for $10, while children age 10 and under are free. All proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation for use in the park. Rain date is Aug. 12.

For more information on the regatta or to register to participate, visit www.ourstatepark.com/3rd-annual-regatta-on-the-river.

Runners participate in 10th annual Nissequogue River State Park 5K

Racing junkies made their way through Nissequogue River State Park in Kings Park last Friday night.

The Nissequogue River State Park Foundation held its 10th annual 5K Sunset Run/Walk June 8 to raise money to help transform the former Kings Park Psychiatric Center into rolling parkland where community events can be held. The run was sponsored by the Reichert family, owners of the IGA Fort Salonga Market.

Connor Hesselbirg, 22, of Kings Park, took first place over 300 other runners with a time time of 18 minutes, 12.54 seconds, an average pace of a 5:51 per mile. Smithtown resident Alyssa Knott, 24, was the top finisher among women and third overall with a time of 19:27.72.

The full race results can be found online at elitefeat.

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More than 1,350 runners took part in the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation’s annual 5K Run/Walk for the Park held Thanksgiving Day. The foundation handed out more than $5,000 in cash prizes to the top finishers in the men’s and women’s divisions.

Smithtown resident Brendan Martin, 28, finished in first place with a time of 15 minutes, 19 seconds, averaging 4 minutes, 56 seconds per mile, according to EliteFeats results page.

Sarah Hardie, 21, of East Northport was the first woman to cross the finish line with a time of 17 minutes, 20 seconds. She averaged a pace of 5 minutes 35 seconds per mile.
The 5K race, in addition to the 1K Turkey Trot for Kids, are sponsored by the Reichert family of Fort Salonga, Bethpage Federal Credit Union and IGA supermarket, to raise funds to enhance and beautify the park. The Nissequogue River State Park covers more than 522 acres of the former Kings Park Psychiatric Center.

A map outlining the proposed location of the new DEC headquarters at Nissequogue River State Park. Photo by Sara-Megan Walsh

Kings Park residents and community groups showed widespread support for a $40 million proposal for further development of Nissequogue River State Park but also voiced their reservations.

Tony Tanzi, president of Kings Park Chamber of Commerce, said the group’s members came together prior to the state Department of Environmental Conservation and Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Nov. 2 joint presentation to discuss the plan’s potential impacts.

“We look forward to being your partner in this whole endeavor and anything we could do to help, we certainly will.”

— Tony Tanzi

“Our entire board is fully on board with this,” Tanzi said to state officials at the presentation. “We are ecstatic that you are making this endeavor. We look forward to being your partner in this whole endeavor and anything we could do to help, we certainly will.”

John McQuaid, president of the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation, said the organization’s members have concerns about a new DEC building being constructed near the center of the park. There are still numerous empty buildings that need to be demolished without any time frame for doing so, he said, while the government is already looking to construct new structures. Yet, the group is in support of the plan, according to its president.

“The marina is a home run,” McQuaid said. “It’s a valuable improvement for the community.”

Other concerns were raised with regard to increased traffic that may be caused by moving the DEC’s headquarters to the area and whether it will fit into the overall vision for the park. Many pointed out the state still lacks a master plan to guide the future design and usage of the more than 500 acres.

“We are so excited about this project, but we know that you can work on this project along with working on a master plan at the same time,” Linda Henninger, president of Kings Park Civic Association, said. “We all know how important it is to have a master plan for the entirety of the park.” 

“It’s a valuable improvement for the community.”

— John McQuaid

Wayne Horsley, regional director for the state office of parks, admitted to “back stepping a little” on his previous agreement with residents to draw up a master plan, but claims his office doesn’t have the funds. A master plan recently commissioned by the state for Sunken Meadow State Park cost between $200,000 and $400,000.

“We will discuss it further, we are not adversarial on the issue,” the parks regional director said.

The Nissequogue River State Park Foundation countered by offering to pay up to half the cost of a master plan. The organization has hundreds of thousands in the bank, according to McQuaid, which they are ready and willing to smartly invest in the park’s future.

Horsley expressed concerns that a master plan could take two to three years, and that what exists now is a unique opportunity to work jointly with the DEC, which is providing the majority of the $40 million in funding.

“My message to the community is let’s jump on this while we can, I think it’s a big step forward,” Horsley said. “When I have an opportunity to get $40 million into the park, it’s a good thing. I think we should take advantage of it.”