By Scott Brinton
In a joint statement issued last week, Hempstead Town Supervisor Richard Guardino (R-Point Lookout), Councilwoman Angelina Cullin (R-Freeport) and Councilman Gary Hudes (R-Levittown) announced passage of a town resolution designating the vacant property as a sanctuary.
Barry Fox, president of the Merrick Park Home Owners Association, had fought for more than 25 years to preserve the property, which sits between a Hempstead Town parking lot and Merrick Woods, a residential neighborhood.
The fight came to a head this past summer when a group of contractors razed more than a quarter-acre of the land. Fox stopped the contractors while they were knocking down trees and underbrush. The men said they were clearing the land to lay down a parking lot for their trucks and trailers.
Town officials said they hadn't given the men permission even to enter the property.
Later, the town Department of Conservation and Waterways studied the site and determined that "the environmental quality of the area qualifies it to be designated as a wildlife sanctuary."
Guardino said, "The town is continuing its quest to preserve open space. The wildlife sanctuary will benefit both the environment and the suburban character of the neighborhood."
Hudes said, "By partaking in projects such as this, the town is protecting open land, which is an important step in safeguarding our fragile ecosystem."
And Cullin said, "Designating this vacant property as a sanctuary will ensure this land is preserved in perpetuity."
