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Eisenhower Park
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The large and beautiful Veterans Memorial honors Americans who have served the country in war.
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East Meadow, Merrick and Stewart avenues
516-572-0348
On-site staff: Yes
Part of the county park system since 1944, Eisenhower offers a
full range of athletic and family activities, including some of the finest facilities in Nassau County and an exciting schedule of summertime events.
The park is centrally located in East Meadow, bordered by Hempstead Turnpike on the south and Old County Road on the north. At 930 acres, it is larger than Central Park, with much of
the acreage devoted to three 18-hole golf courses, including the Red Course, host to the annual Commerce Bank Championship (PGA).
The Eisenhower Park property was in the early part of the 20th century part of the private Salisbury Country Club and included
five 18-hole golf courses. During the Depression, the owners were unable to pay taxes and the property was taken over by the county.
Subsequently, the county acquired additional land in the area. In 1944, Nassau County Park at Salisbury was established as part
of County Executive J. Russell Sprague's vision to create a park that "one day will be to Nassau County what Central Park is today to New York City." The park was officially dedicated in October of 1949.
On October 13, 1969, the park was rededicated as the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Park at a ceremony attended by the 34th President's grandson, Dwight D. Eisenhower II, and his wife, Julie Nixon Eisenhower.
The following activities are available at the park:
Athletics/Physical Activities:
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| The Nassau County Aquatic Center is one of the finest indoor swimming facilities in the U.S., playing host to County residents as well as competitive events featuring some of the world's top swimmers. |
- There are 16 lighted tennis courts, near Parking Field No. 2 or No. 4 (an hourly seasonal fee is charged).
- Athletic fields, several lighted for night play, include 17 baseball fields (14 for softball and three for hardball), four soccer fields and three football fields.
- There is one full-court basketball court, outfitted with new fiberglass backboards, located on the Hempstead Turnpike side of the park.
- There is also a batting cage with nine separate batting areas offering varying pitching speeds for baseball or a softball option. Baseball speeds as follows: fast,
80-85 mph; medium, 60-65 mph; and
slow, 40-45 mph. Call
572-0407 for information. The batting cage closed for the season on October 12, 2007.
- The park’s world-class Nassau County Aquatic Center includes a fitness center (Leisure pass and fee required).
Fitness Trail:
- In the summer of 2007, the park introduced a two-mile Fitness Trail that provides a jogging or walking trail and 20 attractive and simple fitness stations that incorporate a variety of exercises. These include stretching, pull-ups, sit-ups and balance walking exercises that increase slightly in difficulty as the trail proceeds. 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.
Golf:
- Eisenhower features three excellent 18-hole golf courses open to the public: the Red, White and Blue courses. The Red Course, which hosts the Commerce Bank (PGA) Championship, has been called by Newsday one of the "Top 10" public golf courses on Long Island. Call 572-0327/0328 (Leisure Pass and fee required).
- In addition, the park has an illuminated driving range; call 572-0336. Click here for link to Nassau County Golf.
Family/Kids:
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| The mini-golf course in Eisenhower Park, named "Best of Long Island" by News 12 Long Island, features two large 18-hole courses. |
- An 18-hole miniature golf course near the Nassau County Aquatic Center is a popular attraction for children and families (572-0407 for information).
The course was recently named "Best of Long Island" by News 12 Long Island (see article below).
The mini-golf course closed for the season on November 28, 2007.
- There are three playground areas with
a range activities for children; one
(which includes a sprinkler pool) located on the Hempstead Avenue side of the park, near Parking Field No. 2; a second on the Merrick Road side, by Parking Field No. 1A; and a third by the Park Boulevard side toward Hempstead Turnpike, by Parking Field No. 4. In December 2006, the playground at Eisenhower Park was named
"Best Playground of Long Island " by Long Island Press, the weekly newspaper.
- There are reserved picnic areas (Leisure Pass and fee required; call 572-0348) and non-reserved areas.
- Safety Town, operated by the Nassau County Police Department, provides children with a variety of learning experiences, set in a miniature town. During July and August, there are children's programs at 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Children must be Nassau County residents, third grade students, and accompanied by an adult. From September through June, the facility is open to school groups. Call 516-573-3190 for more information.
Swimming:
- Built in 1998 for the Goodwill Games, the Nassau County Aquatic Center at Eisenhower Park is one of the finest swimming facilities in the U.S. It regularly hosts major swimming competitions and is also open to the public (Leisure Pass and fee required). The center offers a full menu of swimming lessons for toddlers, youngsters and teens. The Center includes a “stretch” 50-meter pool that is 68 meters long, with three movable bulkheads. There is also a 25-meter diving well with competition diving towers, platforms and springboards. In addition, there is a beautifully renovated fitness center, located above the pool (Leisure Pass and fee required). Call 572-0501 for information.
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The annual Fourth of July celebration at
Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre.
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Entertainment:
- The Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre is an outdoor theater that hosts a full schedule of entertainment events during the summer, from concerts to movies.
Memorials:
- The large and beautiful Veterans Memorial and Wall of Honor commemorates the contributions of the nation’s veterans, while the Nassau County Firefighters Memorial honors county firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
- On September 9, 2007, the County unveiled the 9/11 Memorial honoring the 344 Nassau County residents who lost their lives during the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center. The monument, one of the largest completed memorials to the victims of the 9/11 attacks, is located by Eisenhower Park Lake, near Lakeside Theatre. The monument includes two aluminum towers set in a fountain as well as two steel girders recovered from the World Trade Center; plaques memorialize the names of County residents who lost their lives. See story below.
Other Activities:
- There is a jogging path that begins on the Hempstead Turnpike side, near Parking Field No. 2 (starting in front of the field house building).
- In the gaming area next to the playground, there is a bocci court and tables with inlaid chess and checker boards. A shelter with benches and tables is also available for those who wish to play cards and other similar games.
Dining:
- Eisenhower is home to Carltun on the Park restaurant, a privately run facility operated in a former country club. The Carltun offers a restaurant, bar, banquet facilities and a meeting room. The restaurant has played host to numerous events, including a fundraiser in 2004 for President George Bush. Call 542-0700 for information.
Directions:
Take Meadowbrook Parkway North to Exit M3 East/Stewart Avenue. Make a right onto Stewart Avenue and take this until you reach the park.
Or,
Take Meadowbrook Parkway South to Exit M3/Stewart Avenue. Make a left onto Stewart Avenue and take this until you reach the park.
Marine Helicopters to Land at Eisenhower Park on May 24, As Part of "Fleet Week 2008"
Eisenhower Park’s Kite Field will serve as the landing area for a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter squadron on Saturday, May 24, as part of “Fleet Week 2008” activities in New York City, announced Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi.
The event, billed “Raid New York,” begins at 10 a.m. and will involve the AH-1W Cobra, the UH-1N or the CH-46E Sea Knight performing an area sweep of the landing zone.
Once the helicopters have performed the sweep, Marines will slide down ropes from the aircraft (fast roping) and secure the landing zone. “Fast-roping,” officially known as the Fast Rope Insertion/Extraction System (FRIES), is a technique used by Marines to deploy from a helicopter in places where the helicopter itself is unable to land. The helicopters will then land on Kite Field and be available for public display, along with the weapons typically used by a Marine Corps rifle platoon.
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In addition, a restored UH-34D Seahorse helicopter provided by Marine Helicopter Squadron 361 Veterans Association, Inc., will be displayed. The UH-34D is the same type of aircraft used for combat rescue in Vietnam and during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Marines supporting the event are part of a Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force from the 2nd Battalion, 10th Marines, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The marines and the equipment have recently returned from duty in Iraq.
The demonstration, which is free, will take place just south of the Veterans Memorial in Eisenhower Park, by parking at fields 6 and 6A. Camouflage face-painting for youngsters will also be featured. The event is presented in cooperation with the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums.
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.
County Executive 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.
County Executive 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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