Nassau County transfers Cow Meadow Park to Village of Freeport

Nassau County officially transferred Cow Meadow Park to the Village of Freeport, returning the recreational park, marina and wildlife preserve to the village after decades of control.

Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy said it ended 22 years of wrestling for local control of the 36-acre park. The village plans to spend $2.5 million on improvements at the park, including a playground, spray park, dog park, athletic fields, and the beach and marina, which have been closed since Superstorm Sandy.

"Welcome to Freeport’s Cow Meadow Park," Kennedy said during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday. "This transfer will now permit Freeport police to regularly patrol this area and DPW to maintain the park and grounds while Nassau County can redirect personnel to other Nassau County properties as needed."

Nassau County Legis. Steve Rhoads (R-Bellmore) handed Kennedy a ceremonial key to the park during the ceremony. The village is expected to start work on various improvements this week with the goal to have the park fully operational by the middle of the summer.

"Ultimately this comes down to who was able to best provide for the residents of the village of Freeport," Rhoads said. "This is a beautiful area with such potential that wasn't being realized. It is right for the village board to maintain that park to provide services for the residents of the Village of Freeport, which is open to residents of the county as well."

The park has been in limbo in recent years between county and Freeport control before it was transferred through legislation sponsored by Assemb. Judy Griffin (D-Rockville Centre), Assemb. Taylor Darling (D-Hempstead), and State Sen. John Brooks (D-Seaford).

Kennedy said Freeport police would be able to patrol the park and have an officer stationed in the area "90% of the time."

In 2017, FBI agents and Nassau County police discovered the body of a Far Rockaway man who was lured to the park and killed by MS-13 members.

Kennedy said the park was previously patrolled under Nassau County’s First Precinct, where it was difficult for officers to respond while on other patrols.

"We plan on increasing our patrols here," Freeport Police Chief Michael Smith said. "We plan on increasing security cameras, lighting, fencing and the patrols throughout the park. The residents will see a substantial increase."

Nassau County first announced plans for park improvements three years ago to expand the beach at Cow Meadow and refurbish the marina and boat ramps.

Freeport village officials said they will not raise taxes for park improvements and instead borrow $2.5 million from the village’s $24 million reserves.

The village is planning to add updated athletic amenities at the park including lighted ballfields.

Officials last year were urging the school district to utilize three multiuse turf fields with overhead lighting, a locker room facility and an illuminated baseball field all planned to be added at Cow Meadow at no cost to the district, while the village is attempting to sell the Cleveland Avenue fields property to Amazon.

The village has sued the school district for control of the Cleveland Avenue fields with plans to transfer the property for Amazon to build a last-mile distribution center.

Officials said the school district will have first priority at Cow Meadow regardless of whether the sale to Amazon is completed.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.