Michael J. Tully Park to get federal funds for Sandy-related repairs to aquatic center

The federal government will reimburse the Town of North Hempstead for more than $255,000 in superstorm Sandy-related repairs at Michael J. Tully Park in New Hyde Park.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency last week approved the town's application for funding at the park's Aquatic Activity Center, town officials announced.

Some of the funds will cover temporary fixes already made to the center, including repairing the gutters and downspout systems. The rest will be allocated to forthcoming work, such as restoring parts of the main building's exterior that were damaged by wind and water from the October 2012 storm.

Electrical systems that were impaired by storm-related power surges will be replaced. Skylights, ceiling tiles and the center's steel roof will also be repaired.

The center's revamp has been three years in the making. High-priority townwide items such as emergency assistance and debris clearing took "the front seat," said town grants coordinator Tom Devaney.

Town officials estimated damage costs at $255,549. Actual expenditures may fluctuate, and FEMA will issue reimbursements as costs solidify.

Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth said in a news release that she was thrilled that the facility will be returned to its pre-Sandy condition.

The 30,000-square-foot aquatic center opened in 1978. In 2010, it was renovated to feature a figure-eight slide, a zone with six lanes for lap swimming and an exercise room. The park also has three athletic fields, basketball and tennis courts, a running track and a stadium.

The center marks the town's 32nd FEMA project, totaling more than $41.7 million worth of repairs. There is still pending approval for a project related to dredging at Leeds Pond, as well as a pending submission for dredging around Manorhaven Beach Park.

"It's a process to rebuild and make things more resilient in hopes that if there is another storm the facilities are more hardened and better prepared," Devaney said.

The town's Department of Public Works will issue a request for proposal for engineering work at the Aquatic Activity Center. Ideally, construction may begin next summer or fall, Devaney said.