Reservations for Picnic Areas Available Beginning February 4
Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi has announced that picnic reservations for the coming season may be made at Nassau County parks beginning Monday, February 4, 2008. Reservations may be made from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week (except where otherwise indicated) at the following parks:
Reservations must be made in person at park locations, and a valid Leisure Pass and appropriate payment (fees depend upon group size) must be presented to obtain a confirmed reservation. Payment can be made by cash, check (made out to “Treasurer of Nassau County”) or credit card (at some locations). “Rain-or-shine” shelter areas are available at Cedar Creek Park, Rev. Arthur Mackey Sr. Park, Nickerson Beach Park and Wantagh Park.
County regulations require that 75% of all picnic participants be Nassau County residents. A special permit is required for the use of alcoholic beverages, and this permit must be purchased at least one week in advance of any reserved or unreserved picnic.
To make catering arrangements, patrons must contact the park concessionaire; Dover Caterers, at 516-933-4444, ext. 12 or 16. Picnic reservations must be secured from the individual park before catering can be arranged.
Suozzi Unveils Nassau County’s 9/11 Memorial in Eisenhower Park Honoring Residents Who Died in 9/11 Attacks
Marking the sixth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Nassau County Exeecutive Thomas R. Suozzi unveiled a $2 million memorial — the largest in the nation to date — honoring the 344 Nassau County residents who lost their lives on that day. The unveiling ceremony was held at Eisenhower Park's Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, across from the memorial, on September 9. On March 11, 2003, President Bush – along with then-Gov. George Pataki and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani – helped break ground for the memorial.
“The attacks of September 11th have left an indelible mark not just on our nation, but on our county, which lost 344 people,” Suozzi said. “I can only hope that this memorial will lend some solace to the pain their families feel.”
The memorial features a wall with the names of the 344 Nassau residents who died in the World Trade Center and on Flight 93, which crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Several Nassau communities suffered a particularly large number of deaths that day: Rockville Centre lost more than 20 people, Garden City, 19, Manhasset, 17, and Valley Stream, 14 residents.
“This memorial could not have been built without the commitment and dedication of all involved,” said Janet Wexler-Magee, a Nassau County resident whose husband, Charles Magee, died in the World Trade Center’s North Tower, where he worked on the 88th floor. Magee also served as a board member of the Nassau County Memorial Foundation. “I hope that everyone who lost someone on September 11, 2001 will find comfort in this memorial,” she said.
Nearly five years ago, County Executive Suozzi formed the Nassau County 9/11 Memorial Foundation to fund-raise and oversee construction of the memorial. A design contest was held to find the winning design. Since then, the foundation has received financial support from the County and from hundreds of local residents and businesses. In addition, over 500 union members from Long Island’s building trades volunteered thousands of hours of labor to help build this memorial.
“The members of the building and construction trades unions and their signatory contractors, who volunteered their time, materials and expertise, have a personal commitment to this memorial and community,” said Bobby Bonanza, president of Laborers' Local 66 and board member of the Nassau County Memorial Foundation. “Many of the members of our unions live and work in Nassau County, and each was affected in their own way by the events of 9/11. The 344 Nassau County residents killed on that tragic day were part of our family and community. The engineers, electricians, lathers, carpenters and laborers who labored to see this fitting memorial built are proud of their contribution. We will always remember.”
The memorial features two semi-transparent aluminum towers, representing the World Trade Center towers, rising 30 feet from a fountain, and also contains two pieces of steel from the World Trade Center's wreckage.The program for the unveiling consisted of various performances from children who lost parents on September 11, the reciting of the 344
names that are part of the Memorial, as well as remarks from Suozzi.
“It is my hope that this memorial will help people to grieve and to make certain that the events of September 11th are always foremost in our thoughts and represent a day that will forever be marked as a turning point in American history,” Suozzi said.
News 12 Long Island Names Eisenhower Park Mini-Golf Course
"Best of Long Island"
Long Island's local newscast, News 12 Long Island, has named Eisenhower Park's mini-golf course "Best of Long Island" in its August 17 broadcast. Best of Long Island is a regular feature on News 12 that focuses on some of the area's best attractions in a range of categories. The selections are made on the basis of viewer nominations and surveys.
The mini-golf course features two 18-hole courses ("Mountainside" and "Overlook") with terraced landscaping that incorporates what may be Nassau County's only waterfall, along with small ponds, flower beds and a number of challenging holes.
The course is wheelchair and baby-stroller accessible and includes two gazebos with picnic tables that are available for children's parties.
The course's size, attractiveness and central location have made it a popular destination since its construction a decade ago, drawing thousands of visitors each week during the summer. After playing mini-golf, visitors can choose to practice their hitting at the adjacent outdoor batting cage, take a swim at the world-class Nassau County Aquatic Center, head over to the large playground near Hempstead Turnpike, take a stab at the new 2-mile fitness trail, and enjoy all of the other activities the park has to offer.
The course is open from April through November. During the summer, hours at the course are as follows: Mon. - Sat., 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. (last round sold at 9 p.m.); Sun., 10:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. (last round at 7:30 p.m.). The fee is $7 foradults and $4 for children (age 12 and under) and seniors. For information, call 572-0407.
Suozzi Unveils New Fitness Trail in Eisenhower Park
In his continuing effort to promote fitness and health through his “Healthy Nassau” campaign, County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi on August 2 unveiled a new two-mile Fitness Trail in Eisenhower Park. He was joined by Nassau County Parks Commissioner Jose L. Lopez.
The trail provides 20 attractive and simple fitness stations that incorporate a variety of exercises, such as stretching, pull-ups, sit-ups and balance walking. Each station has posted instructions that include additional information, such as a target heart beat guide.
“This Fitness Trail is a terrific addition to Eisenhower Park and provides all our residents with a very structured and accessible exercise regimen,” said Suozzi. “This is one more reason to come out to this beautiful park and either begin or continue a fitness program.”
The trail is on the west side of Park Boulevard bisecting the park, with the first station located near the field house and playground by Parking Field No. 2 (near Hempstead Turnpike). From there, the trail winds north past the Aquatic Center and Lakeside Theatre and then heads south back toward the starting point. The trail will be open during park hours, sunrise to sunset.
The low-maintenance fitness stations are made of a mix of treated Southern yellow pine timbers and steel tubing. The $10,000 cost of the stations was underwritten by the Manhasset-based Nassau County Sports Commission.
A second Fitness Trail, underwritten by Goldman Sachs & Co., was also recently completed in Christopher Morley Park, a hilly 98-acre park in Roslyn-North Hills. The County plans to add additional fitness trails, also at no cost to taxpayers, in other parks on the South Shore.
At 930 acres, Eisenhower Park is the largest park in Nassau County, providing a range of attractions, including three 18-hole golf courses, a driving range, the Nassau County Aquatic Center, dozens of athletic fields and courts, picnic areas, and playgrounds, among other activities.
Healthy Nassau, Suozzi’s campaign to make Nassau the healthiest county in the nation, builds upon existing initiatives and adds new ones in order to sustain a healthy environment (focusing on air, land and water), while encouraging healthy living (tending to bodies, minds and spirits).
Along with the new Fitness Trail, Healthy Nassau initiatives include:
- seeking a ban on trans fats and putting calorie counts on menus;
- working with other large municipalities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and explore mass transit options;
- continuing to preserve the County’s remaining open space;
- operating an organic farm at Old Bethpage Village Restoration;
- providing space for a Farmer’s Market offering fresh, local produce;
- the “Biggest Loser” Weight-Off Competition for County workers;
- and seeking a state-authorized increased cigarette tax to discourage smoking.
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