Engineering plans for the first phase of a Town of North Hempstead initiative to revitalize Gerry Pond Park in Roslyn are expected to go out for bid later this month, with work slated to begin in early 2015, officials said Tuesday.
The $2.5 million project, which involves the removal of sand and other sediments from the park’s three ponds, was approved as part of the town’s five-year capital plan in May.
The town is also seeking grants through various county, state and federal agencies to help pay for the $9 million initiative, North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth said.
Bosworth said the Federal Emergency Management Agency last week granted $1.3 million toward future work.
“The deeper the water is, the more sediment is removed,” she said. “In terms of clean water initiatives and helping the water quality, this is a huge effort moving forward.”
According to the town’s capital plan, plantings would later be installed on the perimeter of the ponds to prevent storm water overflow and the ponds’ spillway and stream channels would also be repaired.
In addition, the town plans to repair the perimeter of the park’s Middle Pond and install a hydrodynamic separator as part of its storm water drainage system to remove sediments, contaminants and various floating objects.
“The park really is a centerpiece of a very beautiful village,” Bosworth said. “We want it to be as beautiful as can be.”
The town has also sought the suggestions of Roslyn preservationists and historical society trustees to improve the park.
“It’s of great concern to them, so we’re open to dialogue with them to show them we’re starting this project,” said North Hempstead Town Councilwoman Anna Kaplan (D-Great Neck), whose 4th Town Council District includes Roslyn. “They were wonderful in helping us with getting the Mackay horse statue into such a great neighborhood park, and we think people would use the park even more after this project.”
Roslyn Landmark Society trustee Jay Corn said a group of its members and other local officials – including Town of North Hempstead Historian Howard Kroplick and Roslyn Village Mayor John Durkin, among others – have held meetings to discuss additional ways of improving the park.
“The whole upper pond area is marshy,” Corn said. “There’s a growing abundance of weeds and you can’t walk through there without getting your feet wet. It’s much less appealing for people to come and use it.”
