Mineola opens new park, first in 40 years

Mineola has a new park -- its first in 40 years.

The property -- long just a basketball court, open grass and a water department pump house on Emory Road near Wilson Boulevard -- received a $75,000 upgrade. A new playground, paved walkways, lighting and fencing were installed.

Village Mayor Scott Strauss said he had been eyeing a renovation of the site since 2011, when he was first elected mayor.

But the prospect of a park, he said, had been on his mind much longer.

As a youth, Strauss said, he searched for other parks with more than courts.

"When I lived right around the corner, it was just a basketball court," he said. "If you weren't old enough to play basketball and compete with the older kids, there was none of that."

Because the park is on a residential street, village leaders say it fills a void. Other nearby parks, they note, require crossing high-traffic thoroughfares, such as Jericho Turnpike.

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Village officials are crediting the park's creation to the approval of recent development projects in the village. Under Mineola's development incentive bonus law, created in 2007, the village can require developers to contribute to capital improvement projects -- either through fees or taking on the initiatives themselves, such as streetscaping.

In recent years, the village has approved several residential apartment complexes and it also benefits from Winthrop-University Hospital's expansion plans.

"Communities should look to do this," Strauss said. "It's a great revenue source -- it's not a continual revenue source -- but you are getting funds you would normally not get, and you put it right back in the community's hands."

The park has been abuzz with activity since its construction earlier this month, residents and leaders said. The aim, Strauss said, was to form a small community hub, with benches to draw residents of all ages.

Kathy Willoughby, 44, an Emory Road resident, said she's seen neighbors from other blocks.

"Before, it really was just an open space," said Willoughby, whose 8-year-old son frequents the park. Now, she said, "It makes for a little closer-knit community."