By:Cindy J. Roth
Richard Schary of North Bellmore continues to rally support behind his proposed 10-mile walking path that would create the first open, green space in walking distance for North Bellmore residents.
"I think he will be successful with it," said county Legis. David Denenberg (D-Merrick).
Denenberg is one of many elected officials supporting the trail. Recently, Linda Reed, executive assistant to the Town of Hempstead supervisor, Council member Angelina Cullin (R-Freeport), Legis. Norma Gonsalves (R-East Meadow), Joe Bentivegna, deputy commissioner for the Hempstead Town Parks Department, Assemblyman Marc Herbst (R-Hicksville) and Assemblywoman Kathleen Murray (R-Levittown) took walking tours of the proposed trail.
"The first thing the Town of Hempstead is doing is surveying the land on the east side of Hempstead Turnpike to see who owns what," said Schary, who was recently honored with the Environmental Vision of Sustainable Development award from the Long Island Progressive Coalition. "The next step is to see if there needs to be transfers or leases of land between the various governments."
The proposed trail would run from state-owned land on the North Bellmore-Wantagh border to the county-owned Wantagh park and wetlands, to the town's Twin Lakes Preserve in Wantagh, to the county's Mill Pond Park in Bellmore, and to the county's Wantagh and Cedar Creek Parks.
"The great thing about what he wants to do is it isn't farfetched," Denenberg said. "It's just connecting already existing paths."
Many residents agree the park would be an asset to the neighborhood. Right now, many residents have to get in their cars to reach local parks before they can start their walks or bike rides in a park. James McCarthy of Bellmore said he now must go to Wantagh when he rides his bicycle, and he thinks the path would be a great idea for Bellmore.
"Anytime you add a park, it gives something back to taxpayers."
Michael Smyth of Bellmore said the path would be excellent for exercise and even local commuting. Smyth said he would use the path for running.
Vicky Rosenberg, president of the Wantagh-Seaford Homeowners Association, said the path is something that simply must happen. "When you look at open space on a map, we're poverty-stricken on parks and open space," Rosenberg said. "All we have that counts is golf courses and cemeteries."
In April, Rosenberg counted more than130 people riding bicycles and roller-skates, pushing strollers and simply walking at the county's Massapequa Preserve.
"It's terribly, terribly important to save what we have," Rosenberg said. "In the future, we will be very grateful to those who saw into the future to save this land. What we have now is a disgrace."
Legis. Gonsalves said the three levels of government involved with the path - state, county and town -- convened an initial meeting, and there was a great deal of support for the proposal. Now, officials are determining which government entities own certain properties and making sure all three government levels will perform the proper adjustments necessary to prepare the path for use by people. Gonsalves said once that happens, the path should not take much time or money to set up.
Schary said, "All the elected officials toured it and loved it, and now it's time to step forward and do something."
