Munsey Park pond renovations begin

Bill San Antonio

Village of Munsey Park Deputy Mayor Sean Haggerty said Wednesday that efforts to revitalize Copley Pond have begun and are expected to be completed by next summer.

Haggerty said the village had reached out to the Munsey Park Women’s Club for fundraising help and has also heard from residents expressing interest in helping with the clean-up and restoration efforts, 

“I think everyone enjoys the pond and it’s something that people should be engaged in,” Haggerty said. “We had even talked about having the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery come in and put some fish in there and make it like it was 20, 25 years ago when people would sit out there and have picnics and really use it.”

In the last week, Haggerty said, village maintenance crews began removing stumps and unhealthy trees near the pond, and workers are in the process of creating a revitalization plan that will include new trees, a new walkway and the introduction of frogs and other wildlife into the area.

But the first step in the process, Haggerty said, is to remove trees that are close to crumbling into the man-made pond’s liner and have caused the pond’s wall to deteriorate in the last few years.

“We can’t have trees falling in there, popping the liner, or we’re not going to have a pond there anymore,” Haggerty said.

He said the village will replace many of the trees that are removed and replant bushes, but wants to keep the area by the pond open so people use the space and teenagers do not use the area for parties.

He also said the village has to go about the revitalization in a smart way. 

“I think there’s going to be a lot of thought and discussion and I hope the community gets involved and engages in that process so that the end product, whatever it may be, everyone’s happy with it,” Haggerty said.

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