Mineola officials said last week that the Emory Road Park opened last month – the first park to debut in the village in 40 years – is already paying big dividends.
“It’s very popular. Everybody’s coming to the park,” Village Trustee Paul Cusato said. “It’s become a gathering place for people.”
Village of Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss said the new park, which was designed for use by children five through 12, will serve the many young families being drawn to Mineola and help keep multi-generational Mineola families in the village.
“We are committed to providing our residents with the best family-oriented public amenities village resources allow,” Strauss said. “Our families deserve nothing less.”
Strauss said one resident recently told him that he had met more of his neighbors in the park since it opened than he had in the previous five years he had lived in the neighborhood.
The park, which officially opened Oct. 5, Strauss features playground equipment and other amenities on what had been a water works facility that contained a basketball court.
Residents had complained the location had become a place where teenagers gathered late at night to drink beer.
In addition to the playground equipment, paving stones for pathways, benches, lighting and fencing were installed in the park, which brought the total cost of the park to approximately $75,000, village officials said.
Construction costs were funded using the Village of Mineola’s incentive bonus funds, which are allocated for public amenities from downtown development projects.
“We took an underutilized property and turned it into a valuable neighborhood asset, and we did it at no cost to village taxpayers,” said Village of Mineola Deputy Mayor Paul Pereira.
Strauss said village property values have been maintained in part due to Mineola’s public amenities, including its parks.
“At a time when other municipalities are struggling and cutting services, Mineola is building at no additional cost to taxpayers,” Strauss said.
“This is why our seniors want to stay in Mineola, and young families want to stay here to raise their children,” Village Trustee Dennis Walsh added.
