Dying Vietnam veteran Mike Halpin is pushing ahead with his four-year fight to gain access to a gate that blocks elderly and disabled residents of 21 Schenck Ave. from taking a shortcut to shops on nearby Welwyn Road.
The Village Gardens Owners Corporation Board of Directors installed the gate to prevent “antisocial behavior” such as excessive noise and dog waste littering the landscaping, said property manager Darah Houlihan. The gate is only accessible to residents of co-ops at 19 Schenck, 10 Welwyn, and 8 Welwyn, as the path passes through their property.
“I don’t know what they would or would not consider,” Houlihan said. “No one has asked the co-op formally for access to the space.”
Halpin, who suffers from a rare degenerative disorder called multiple symptoms atrophy, said he mailed a letter to the board Monday, care of Houlihan, explaining the issue.
During his four-year campaign to unlock the gate, Halpin pled for help from local attorneys and every government agency that would listen, but few were willing or able to help.
“All I want is the gate opened, that’s all,” he said.
Village of Great Neck Plaza trustees are trying to facilitate an agreement, after a plea for help from Halpin and other residents of 21 Schenck at a trustee meeting June 1. At the meeting Houlihan expressed doubt about whether the board would reopen the matter, which he reiterated Wednesday.
“All I know is that there was a pretty rowdy bunch of people at that meeting,” he said of the aging residents whose average age Halpin said was 77.
Suggestions from trustees include issuing electronic keys to residents of other buildings at a cost that would cover higher insurance premiums.
“If people talk, reasonable people can come to a solution,” said Village of Great Neck Plaza Trustee Gerry Schneiderman.
