Town gets $75K grant for Port Washington dock repairs

Justine Schoenbart

Congressman Steve Israel joined Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth on Tuesday to announce a National Endowment for the Arts federal grant that will help repair the North Hempstead Town Dock in Port Washington.

“Superstorm Sandy ravaged this site, destroyed the dock, and put the parking lot into complete disrepair,” Israel said. “Some people would see that as a derelict facility. Judi Bosworth saw it as opportunity.”

Israel said the town received a $75,000 grant that will help to “rehabilitate, restore, revitalize, and replenish the area.”

Bosworth, who went to Israel’s office in Washington in April, said she was looking to create a federal partnership that would help not only repair the damage to the dock, but also transform it into a location that would preserve and celebrate the history and culture of the community.

After speaking to a National Endowment for the Arts coordinator, Israel suggested the town apply for an Our Town grant, which he said requires community partnerships that “will take something that is derelict and in disrepair and turn into something that celebrates culture, art, and history.”

“It’s going to transform this area into an attractive, interactive park, No. 1; No. 2 it’s going to provide for some green planning, design and infrastructure; and, No. 3, this will become a space for arts and culture programming, so we’ll be able to display and exhibit the art of this community and educate people about the culture of this community,” Israel said.

Bosworth said the town is one of 69 towns across the nation to have been awarded the Our Town grant.

“It’s so exciting to think that we’re talking about a marine dock and art in the same breath — that’s not something you usually put together,” Bosworth said. “But why not? When we think of rebuilding our town dock, we’re not only going to make it more resilient, but now we have the funding to make it more beautiful and inspirational, as well.”

Nancy Solomon, who serves as the executive director for Long Island Traditions, a local folk arts organization, said her organization will be conducting a cultural survey to determine the role of cultural traditions in the lives of Long Island families and community members.

“From this cultural survey, we look forward to working with the Town of North Hempstead in creating a dynamic installation that will examine and reflect the many ethnic, occupational and recreational traditions of Port Washington,” Solomon said.

The town will also be working with Landmark on Main Street in restoring the dock.

Laura Mogul, who serves as executive director of the not-for-profit organization, said the organization hopes to partner with the town and other cultural institutions to help bring as much variety as possible to Port Washington.

Bosworth said the town will be receiving millions of dollars from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to deal with the structural damage, but the National Endowment for the Arts grant will allow the town to bring introduce green and artistic elements in the reconstruction plan.

In terms of a timeline, she said the town is currently in its planning stages with the reconstruction, but it is moving forward.

“We’re only limited by our imagination,” Bosworth said.

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