During the 14 years of planning and building the Bay Walk, Port Washington North Mayor Bob Weitzner sat through dozens of meetings to discuss plans.
He and the Board of Trustees laid out thoughts for amenities at the park, brainstorming ideas for what residents would like best.
But, he said, the best part of the planning was when residents would approach him and tell him what they wanted, what they thought the park needed.
“It was so special because people would come up to me and say, ‘I think this is OK, but we need this,” Weitzner said.
One resident suggested a phone-charging kiosk.
“It was a great idea,” he said. “How many people take their cable around with them to charge their phones — I don’t. Guess what’s in the park.”
On Saturday, the village is holding a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Bay Walk Park along Shore Road at 11 a.m., celebrating the transformation of an old oil loading dock into a waterfront park.
“It went from famine to feast,” Weitzner said. “I don’t only think this park will help Port Washington come together but you’ll see a lot of transit visitors coming to Port North, along with an economic boom for our stores.”
The park will feature a kayak launch station, new benches, bicycle racks, a garden, a phone-charging station and a water-replenishing station with a dog bowl.
The Bay Walk stretches about 3/4 of a mile and the park is about 1.8 acres.
“What has been most fulfilling about this project, and also gratifying and special, is how various interested parties in the community came to us, not just asking questions but offering suggestions on what’s going into the park,” he said.
Phase II of the Bay Walk, which was recently completed, cost $1.5 million — $1 million of which was covered by the state Department of State and the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historical Preservation.
The village covered $250,000 of the cost with bond money, and the Town of North Hempstead covered the remaining $250,000, Weitzner said.
Weitzner said the park’s location is ideal because it’s near restaurants, delis and supermarkets.
The park will be under video surveillance that will feature live monitoring and recording for up to 30 days.
The park will also include a boat resting area on the waterfront, a new network expanding the Outdoor Nautical Art Museum, an information kiosk and the expansion of the Port North pier float.
“I don’t think I or other various parties involved could have imagined that it would turn out as beautiful and robust as it has turned out,” Weitzner said. “We far exceeded our expectations.”
The ribbon-cutting event on Saturday will feature music, activities and other events, Weitzner said.
