by Michael White |
The state has awarded over $2.5 million in grant money to Patchogue Village to tear up Shorefront Park’s aging bulkhead and create a living shoreline.
The “new” bayfront, under the plans, would likely consist of berms, a wading beach, and rocks and boulders placed in a style known as riprap — all designed to provide a natural and better defense from coastal flooding.
And, of course, the overhaul would provide for huge aesthetic improvements.
“It really will be the jewel of Patchogue,” said Marian Russo, the executive director of the village’s Community Development Agency, who wrote the successful grant application. “This [a passive shoreline] has been used in other areas, such as the Chesapeakes, so once again Patchogue will be at the forefront of what’s happening on Long island.”
Read: Why living shorelines are a better defense from coastal storms
The village received word of the big grant awards last week.
“This will change the entire dynamic of the park itself,” said Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri. “These parks were built 50, 60 years ago and this will take us into the next 30 years.”
(Exact grant breakdowns and use descriptions can be found below.)
The village already has $2 million on hand for the project, money set aside from the nearly $5 million it received through the Knapp-Swezey Foundation to rebuild all of its parks.
Having the $2 million played a huge role in the successful grant applications, village officials said.
Russo said the village’s appeal for the awards had to do with showing that living shorelines are scientifically proven to better deal with flooding and global warming — as opposed to “hardened” shorelines, which includes bulkhead.
But also, she emphasized, parks play a huge role in economic development — especially in designated Smart Growth areas such as Patchogue.
“When you build higher density housing you need recreation,” she said. “That’s all part of downtown revitalization, to create great recreation and attractions.”
So like with a city, the municipal parks become a townhouse or apartment-dweller’s backyard.
“And our parks our open to everyone,” Russo said. “The state likes to see public money will be going to serve the public at large — with no residency restrictions.
Dennis Smith, who’s coordinating the entire parks overhaul for the village, noted that 700 new dwellings have been built in the village in just the last few years.
“You need to give these people places to recreate,” he said.
As for a timeline, Smith is hoping construction could start at Shorefront Park as early as this coming summer or fall.
Aside from the state money, an additional $275,000 from the county will go toward widening and improving the flow of Little Creek, which winds through the park.
Smith hopes that work will ease the flow of water from upstream ponds into the bay and alleviate some of the drainage-burden on the area homeowners who find themselves having to use pumps 24/7.
Other money will be used for habitat restoration.
The funding will also result in a boardwalk that runs along the bay.
Aside from the living shoreline, Smith said a sort of “Part 2” of the Shorefront Park overhaul should involve adding a summer splash park that will double as a winter ice skating rink.
“But that might not happen until 2019 or into 2020,” he said.
“This is where young families want to be,” Pontieri said. “They want to be in parks.”
Top: The bulkhead that runs along Shorefront Park. (file photo)
