Rockville Centre has secured $9.5 million in state funding for two major local projects, advancing plans for a third iron filtration plant and completing the financing for renovations at Hickey Field.
Gov. Kathy Hochul presented checks for the grants at Hickey Field late Saturday afternoon, as a fall Rockville Centre Little League baseball game was underway. After arriving, Hochul met with players and league officials before the game resumed.
The funding includes $7 million for the village’s new iron filtration facility and $2.5 million for the Little League’s long-planned field renovation.
The water grant will cover the iron filtration portion of the project, Mayor Francis X. Murray said. The village is also planning separate treatment improvements for PFAS and 1,4-dioxane, two types of chemical contaminants that can affect drinking water. Murray estimated that the additional work would cost approximately $7 million.
PFAS, often called “forever chemicals,” are man-made substances that break down very slowly in the environment. 1,4-dioxane is an industrial chemical that can enter groundwater and is difficult to remove through conventional water treatment.
Murray said the village is planning ahead for the additional treatment, noting that the contamination plume associated with the Bethpage area has not reached Rockville Centre.
The new iron filtration plant will be built near Molloy University to address a remaining iron problem in the northern part of the village. Iron can affect water’s appearance and taste.
Rockville Centre already has two iron filtration facilities. The first was built near the water tower by South Side High School during the tenure of Murray’s father, Eugene Murray, as mayor. A second was later added near the Maple Avenue water tower during Murray’s own tenure.
Murray said state funding helps the village avoid borrowing through its capital budget and raising taxes to pay for the project.
Deputy Mayor Kathy Baxley said she, Murray and the village administrator met with state Sen. Siela Bynoe to discuss the funding need. Bynoe then advocated for the village with Hochul.
The additional $2.5 million is expected to cover the remaining costs of the Hickey Field renovation, Rockville Centre Little League President Peter Klugewicz confirmed. The latest funding follows two earlier grants of $2 million each toward the project. The first was announced by U.S. Rep. Laura Gillen after the Little League parade on April 18, and Griffin announced her $2 million grant on July 22.
Klugewicz, Chairman Mike Lawless and Challenger Division founder and commissioner Gene Kirley helped lead the effort, which has spanned more than three years.
“It’s a good day,” Klugewicz said. “The three of us are the ones that started this journey over three years ago.”
Lawless said the organization is ready to begin construction.
“Let’s get shovels in the ground,” he declared.
The renovation is particularly important to the league’s Challenger Division, which serves children with disabilities. Kirley said the existing field’s dusty conditions and accessibility limitations had caused some children to leave the program.
“We’ve lost kids over the years because of the dust and the inaccessibility of, like, the wheelchairs and stuff like that,” Kirley said. “It’s going to really open the league to everyone with a disability who wants to play.”
Kirley said the league hopes to have the renovated fields ready in time for the 2028 season.
Hochul, who described herself as a Little League mom, spoke about the importance of providing children with safe places to play and learn sportsmanship. She recalled helping her husband coach their children and working concessions to raise money for uniforms and field improvements.
“I know how important it is for our kids to have safe environments, a good field, a place they can make lifelong friendships, learn about sportsmanship, winning and losing,” Hochul said.
Murray said Rockville Centre has secured approximately $78 million in grants over the past 15 years, not including the latest funding. He credited the village board’s efforts to secure outside funding and follow projects through to completion.
“We’ve never made any elected official look bad,” Murray said. “So they don’t mind coming to us because they know we’re going to finish the project that we start.”
