Hempstead Town must open park and let Elmont's children play

School is almost out. The heat and humidity already have arrived.

But for the children of Elmont, the chance to run and play in a new playground, to enjoy the summer in a beautiful neighborhood splash park, is locked behind a chained fence.

New York Arena Partners, the group behind the development of the UBS Arena at Belmont Park, renovated Elmont Road Park as part of a community benefits agreement, which also involved Empire State Development, the state's economic development arm. The $3 million renovation was part of the developers' efforts to reach out to the communities surrounding UBS Arena, and it grew out of area residents' complaints that the then-dilapidated town park had been neglected.

The architect has issued a certificate of substantial completion — the standard necessary to declare the park safe and ready for reopening. Yet, Town of Hempstead officials are refusing to open the town-owned park, saying they think there are remaining safety concerns, like exposed wiring in lighting fixtures, dangerous drain grates, and a concrete bench they claim is too close to playground equipment.

They cite additional, more-cosmetic issues at play, as well. The scoreboard, they say, is made for hockey, not football, though the field is a multiuse field. The court, they say, isn't designed with "regulation" lines for basketball, though the court is a multiuse court. Also on their "punch list": the need for a newly-painted Hempstead Town seal at center court.

And while town officials first told the editorial board only the safety concerns were preventing the reopening, Town Supervisor Don Clavin, when asked the same question, would not specify whether he agreed, saying cryptically in an interview: "I'm going to let it open when they do it right."

This smacks of a Hempstead Town political power play — where a community like Elmont isn't a priority and children, ultimately, lose out. Just as the New York Islanders' arena was opened in time for hockey season, so should the park be opened in time for children's spring and summer play season.

After an item ran in the editorial board's The Point newsletter, town officials apparently met Thursday with representatives from Gov. Kathy Hochul's office to try to resolve the standoff. Perhaps that's a good sign.

If there's really anything left to do from a safety perspective, let's get it fixed — quickly. Then open the park — certainly before the end of the school year. Once the park is reopened, the town can quibble over seals and scoreboards and lines on a court. If there's additional work to do, get it done off-hours.

Children learn at an early age to share a ball, take turns on a swing set, play together in a splash park, resolve their differences, and work together to win a game. If only Hempstead Town officials could learn the same lessons.

It's time to play.