Island Park cancels annual mile swim

For the first time in nearly 70 years, the Village of Island Park had to cancel its annual Labor Day Mile Swim due to lack of participation.

The race, a village tradition, dates back to the 1940s.

"We only had four applicants that signed up," said Mayor Jim Ruzicka. "Only four, and one of them was me."

Because of the possibility of someone needing assistance during the race, the village must inform the Nassau County Police Department and the Bay Constable when it is held, and emergency responders need to be on hand. "It's a lot of work for only four people swimming in it," Ruzicka explained, "and so we had to cancel it."

Last year, the swim was almost canceled for the same reason. The weekend before the race, only 15 people had signed up, and village officials debated whether to call it off. More people signed up that weekend, however, and the event was saved.

Declining participation last year also led to the cancellation of many of the other swim races the village hosts. But the mile swim — Island Park's most historic race — survived.

The race has been canceled at other times over the years, but never for lack of participation. "We've canceled it sometimes because we had a heavy rain and the water was closed," Ruzicka said, "but usually we don't cancel it. This is a first."

He added that the village would reinstate the race again next year and hope to get more participants. "I'm hoping next year we can revive it," Ruzicka said. "We'll have to get some minds together and see what we can do to get some interest."

"It was upsetting," said Village Trustee Henry "Mickey" Hastava, who is in charge of the village's Beach and Recreation departments. "I swam in the mile swim in 1947. There were 48 kids in it, and I came in second-to-last."

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