By:VICTORIA A. CARUSO
Bellmore residents who opposed the Friday Night Car Cruisers, an antique car club that meets weekly at the Bellmore train station, are breathing a sigh of relief.
On Wednesday, Aug. 29, Town of Hempstead officials announced that the car club would end its season a month earlier than planned. As a result, the club's last meeting for 2001 is set for Friday, Sept. 14, rather than late October as originally stated in their permit.
In recent weeks, residents and store owners had grown increasingly vehement in their rhetoric against the show, saying it has outgrown its place in a residential community.
"Pulling the plug on this season seemed the best thing to do because there were no immediate steps that would have resulted in improvements," said town Councilman Gary Hudes. "There were many concerns about the car show this season and how to bring the show back to the confines of what was originally intended. This is not something that needs minor improvements, but rather needs to be looked at all around."
Hudes also said that, in ending the car show early, representatives from the Friday Night Car Cruisers will have more time to meet with residents and business owners to discuss what, if anything, can be done to improve the car show.
"Our suggestion is that the car people sit down and talk to those people who are impacted by the show and see if they can improve it," Hudes said. "We suggested they immediately sit down and talk about whether the show is something that should be entertained next year. If it's not, it gives the car people the opportunity to find another place so that they are not caught in a bind."
In a letter to the Herald (see Letters, page ****), Pat Cappetti, president of the Friday Night Car Cruisers, stated the decision to end the car show early is "out of respect for the community and to keep a harmonious [relationship]. Our hope is that [residents] take this as an opportunity to work together for the same cause. We genuinely wish that our issues may be resolved so that the community of Bellmore may benefit from our being a part of revitalization."
Cappetti also said that, as of now, he did not know whether the car club would return to Bellmore next year. The Friday Night Cruisers must receive a permit from the town council.
The decision to end the car show early pleased local residents. "I am happy the town and the car people realized the show has outgrown the area and is no longer appropriate," said Marge Congello, president of the Central Bellmore Homeowners Association. "It was never a personal thing, and I am sorry that such a nice thing got so out of control."
Cappetti, however, expressed anger at the decision. "We got screwed. Somebody is out to get us," he said.
The Central Bellmore Homeowners Association will hold an open meeting on
Thursday, Sept. 13, at the Bellmore Library. All are welcome.
