Hempstead Town: Elmont got stiffed on its new park

Daily Point

A field grows in Elmont

The Town of Hempstead is committing about $900,000 of its capital budget to a new turf field at Elmont Road Park — a park that was renovated just over a year ago.

The park’s previous $3 million face-lift was part of the community benefits associated with construction of UBS Arena at Belmont Park. Developer New York Arena Partners completed the renovation in spring 2022, but Hempstead Town officials initially refused to open the park, citing what they described as safety concerns. After public pressure, the town opened the park that June.

But since then, Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin told The Point, the main grass field in the park has been plagued with drainage and other issues, rendering it at times unusable.

“Elmont always deserved the turf field and they’re going to get the turf field,” Clavin said. “What we predicted took place. The field … is wet, it’s soggy and you can’t maintain it.”

Town officials are placing the funds for a new multipurpose turf field in Hempstead’s capital budget, which must be approved by the town board before the end of the year. Clavin said he hopes the new turf field, which can be used year-round, will be completed by next spring.

When asked whether New York Arena Partners would foot the bill, Clavin chief of staff Jack Libert told The Point that Hempstead officials have discussed the issue with the developer, but so far, the town will be paying for the improvements.

New York Arena Partners officials did not immediately return requests for comment.

“Elmont deserves to be treated better,” Clavin said. “They were shortchanged on this. We’re going to make sure they’ll get what they should have had from Day One.”

— Randi F. Marshall randi.marshall@newsday.com

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Quick Points

Embarrassments and delays

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— Michael Dobie michael.dobie@newsday.com

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