Nearly 70 residents of West Hempstead gathered at the American Legion Hall on July 29 to discuss their concerns about Halls Pond Park with representatives of Nassau County. The meeting, organized by the West Hempstead Community Support Association, gave people an opportunity to ask questions and voice their complaints about the park.
“It was great to see a large turnout from the community,” Neal Rosenblatt, a WHCSA board member who focuses on quality-of-life concerns, said. “Our elected officials, our county representatives answered questions. I think the county is going to continue what they’re doing to make improvements.”
Rosenblatt has been working with legislators and county officials for over two years to address concerns at Halls Pond. His initial list had nearly 60 items, he said, but as lights have been replaced and walkways repaired, the list now sits at around 20.
“Our biggest concern right now is the fact that they come back every few years and have to clean up all the silt that runs into the pond,” David Awerbuch, who lives across from the park, said. “It’s the same thing every year: It builds up, they come back, it builds up again.” Awerbuch wanted to know if there might be a long-term solution.
“Halls Pond is a storm water discharge basin,” Nassau County Parks Commissioner Darcy Belyea said. “It takes in water from Hempstead Turnpike and brings it down to Reynolds Channel. It has a rubber gasket at the bottom that is impermeable. It was built to take storm water.” Belyea explained that debris and sediment buildup caused by runoff is normal for this kind of basin, and though it does require maintenance, she stressed that dredging is not currently necessary.
Halls Pond is a “passive” park — one without fields, courts or other facilities for organized play — which means that it’s there simply for local enjoyment, Belyea said. Garbage is picked up there three times a week, and the grass is cut on Tuesdays. There’s a trap north of the pond to keep garbage from entering, which does work, but can get clogged with debris. Rosenblatt suggested that Belyea schedule more routine cleaning of the trap.
On July 21, the parks department began harvesting sediment and debris built up in the pond. An eco-harvester used a conveyor system to pull weeds and debris from the water, a minimally invasive method for cleaning waterways.
On July 28, however, the state Department of Environmental Conservation ordered the work stopped, citing resident complaints. The parks department now has to wait for permits to be approved to continue the work.
Alexandra Ehrlein, of Franklin Square, came to the meeting to voice her concerns about the treatment of pond wildlife, especially during the recent harvesting. “The kids are fishing in the pond,” she said, “and I had to bring a turtle to the vet because a hook was stuck in his back and someone just cut the fishing line.”
Belyea reiterated that the pond is a man-made catch basin, not a natural habitat, though county workers are taking precautions not to harm wildlife. Legal protections for the animals are the responsibility of the DEC. Rosenblatt reminded audience members that signage around the park reminds visitors not to feed the ducks or fish in the pond, but is often ignored.
“If we don’t work as community to try and fix this problem,” WHCSA President Maureen Mahoney said, “then it will always be a problem.”
Fixing the playground
West Hempstead resident Rachel Orenbuch, a mother of seven children, said she was one of many who would like to see the park expanded and benches placed in a shaded area. “I would also love to see, alongside the space for toddlers, a play space for middle-aged children or tweens that’s safe for everyone to play and enjoy together,” she said.
“I feel for that size park, the playground is a suitable size,” Belyea said. “Right now we don’t need to replace it.”
Orenbuch highlighted safety issues in the playground. “If a 12-year-old comes down the slide and a toddler is coming off the toddler slide, they’re going to collide into each other,” she said.
Belyea said there were plans to fix the ripped playground flooring. The park has rubber pour-in-place surfacing, she explained, which has a lifespan of eight to 10 years. “We’re going to be removing it and putting in a manufactured wood fiber,” she said. This project will be undertaken in early fall, because it requires the playground to close for a week, which Belyea didn’t want to do during the summer.
She also addressed complaints about the playground’s replacement swing. The bucket swing, for children ages 6 months to 3, was initially accompanied by an accessible swing, for children of all ages and abilities, but it was replaced by a second bucket swing. Belyea said that issue would be addressed, and emphasized that she is invested in creating more accessible parks.
Orenbuch also complained about the heat in the park. “It’s brutally hot,” she said. “It’s very sad to see the park literally empty on hot summer days because there’s no water (or) shade and it’s a small space.”
“We have met with your civic association and we have put in to the capital budget certain things to be repaired and replaced down the road, as funding becomes available, including the playground area and a new gazebo,” said County Legislator William Gaylor, who represents the 14th District, which includes West Hempstead. “It’s an ongoing project. It’s not a one-and-done kind of fix.”
