GN gets over $1M in fed funds to repair Harbor Hills Park

Robert Pelaez
The Town of North Hempstead will receive more than $1 million to repair the Harbor Hills Park in Great Neck. (Photo courtesy of the Town of North Hempstead)

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) recently secured more than $1 million in funds to repair the Harbor Hills Park in Great Neck from damages caused by Superstorm Sandy nearly a decade ago.

The two announced Tuesday that the Town of North Hempstead will receive $1,007,534 in federal funding allocated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency. The funding, officials said, will be used to repair the damages as a result of Superstorm Sandy and protect the park and its amenities from any future natural disasters.

The park, which stretches over 2.4 acres and features an outdoor pool, playground, tennis facility and waterfront view of Little Neck Bay to the west, was battered by flooding and high winds from Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

“With these funds, North Hempstead will be able to repair the park, a treasured neighborhood recreational space,” Schumer said. ““We have been fighting tooth and nail to build stronger and more resilient communities in the aftermath of Sandy by delivering federal dollars such as these.”

Gillibrand said New York is still struggling with the aftermath of Sandy.

“Almost a decade after Superstorm Sandy devastated New York communities, many towns are still recovering from one of the worst natural disasters in our state’s history,” she said. “This funding will support the Town of North Hempstead in repairing remaining storm damage in Harbor Hills Park, so that it can be fully restored and enjoyed by residents and visitors for years to come.”

The town also received $847,000 for the Harbor Hills Park repairs caused by Sandy in August 2015. Those funds were also allocated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In total, the town received more than $40 million from the federal agency to conduct repairs on more than 30 projects in response to the damages.

Efforts to reach a representative from the town for comment on the funds were unavailing.

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