Save Cedar Creek Park October 21, 2009

OPEN PUBLIC MEETING......
REGARDING ISSUES AT CEDAR CREEK PARK AND THE PROBABLE RE-DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PARK

Wed., OCTOBER 21st at 7 PM
Wantagh High School
Beltagh Avenue
Wantagh, NY
[Off Wantagh Ave. - adjacent to the Middle School]

PLEASE DO NOT BELIEVE ANY RUMORS (E-MAILS/NOTICES) THAT SAY IT'S CANCELED, RESCHEDULED or NOT AN OPEN MEETING "unless" IT IS EXPRESSLY MENTIONED BY ME (DEANNA SUPPES) ON THIS FACEBOOK PAGE "AND" SENT VIA THE COALITION'S EMAIL ADDRESS LISTED HERE. IF IT'S NOT ON "BOTH" IT MAY NOT BE TRUE. THIS FACEBOOK GROUP WILL ALWAYS STAY CURRENT IN REGARD TO UPDATES.

All welcome

As citizens of Wantagh/Seaford (and Nassau County as a whole), as well as Cedar Creek Park users - we have a choice - let the developer with is elaborate plans take over our park - or do something about it....

A developer named Philip Tavella proposed the redevelopment of Cedar Creek Park to Nassau County. Apparently the Nassau County Administration put out an RFP (Request for Proposal) for someone to build a Sportsplex in Cedar Creek Park. This sportsplex is supposed to include miniature golf, driving range, spray park area, expanding baseball fields, artificial turf, etc. - but the most interesting addition to this so-called kid-friendly atmosphere is "Go Cart track(s)" ! A private FOR-PROFIT group submitted plans to build a humongous, professional Go Cart race track from Kart Attack of Bay Shore to be located directly behind the Sewer Treatment Plant ! We’re talking 16+ professional grade go-carts [with corporate sponsors] creating what some feel will be a great deal of noise pollution, not to mention toxic emissions. This will negatively impact the Cedar Creek Park Aerodrome and the small Tether Track which is nestled near the treatment plant (and which I might say is such a beautiful open piece of land hidden back there that some of us recently had the pleasure of seeing). [Oddly enough I can't recall ever hearing about a go-cart track set up behind a sewer treatment plant.] Plans for the miniature golf area are planned to be located directly behind the Jones Beach Hotel/Restaurant and a residential area. We have further heard of possible plans to eliminate the bike path entrance from the park and re-locating it to Byron Place (a now quiet residential street.) The Dog Park is also not in the future plans - appearing to be removed altogether. The developer touts his directorship with ex-Met, Darryl Strawberry’s foundation (Center for Autism Education – based in Missouri) as the only justification he needs for this facility [and offering a separate go-cart track for autistic/special needs children]. Mr. Tavella (and Darryl Strawberry) must understand that the community affected by this proposal is not against special needs children, but believes these they can best be served by a private facility on private land, not by one on a public park that harms the community at large. [Are there studies showing the benefits of special needs children driving go-carts (near a sewer plant, no less)?] Mr. Tavella believes the privatization of Cedar Creek Park will benefit our community in that he would take over security/maintenance/bring more jobs to the park/make more ball fields, etc. Yet interestingly enough, Mr. Tavella is ONLY interested in this project if it is “financially viable”….in other words no new fields, no mini golf, no spray park, no anything unless the go kart track is put in... and in order to meet that threshold, he is asking for a long term lease (20 years, but more likely 40 years) which will be “TAX FREE”. Yes, he would not have to pay any school/county taxes at all during those 20+ years. We, as taxpaying homeowners, will in no way have any tax break from this. Please remember that Cedar Creek Park (within its very close-knit community) is a serene environment which should remain how it has always been. We talk about going GREEN, yet developers [and Corporate America] are killing our communities with these elaborate plans for their own profit. Cedar Creek Park should not be a pay-to-play park with the sounds of loud racing go-carts and big crowds...it should be enjoyed by our children (as well as adults) as it always has.