The Village of Port Washington North will celebrate the grand opening of the Bay Walk Park on July 8 after it had to cancel its ribbon-cutting ceremony last week due to rain.
The village began planning the park 14 years ago in an attempt to turn an old oil dock into a waterfront community park.
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.
The park will also include a boat resting area on the waterfront, expansion of the Outdoor Nautical Art Museum, an information kiosk and expansion of the Port North pier float.
Port Washington North Mayor Bob Weitzner said although the original celebration was canceled, the village plans to go forward with the planned celebration.
“It went from famine to feast,” Weitzner said last week. “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.”
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.
“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.
