There are several good editorial comments that could be made this week. Probably the most important one is that we need an historic preservation foundation. We have to become proactive and not reactive.
Over the years the issue of preservation has come up. Something happens and suddenly there are just a few hours to help save an historic house in the hamlet.
We need something in place; we need a process; we need people dedicated to the concept; and we need funding to make things happen.
Many years ago the Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce was very strong and were looking into improving the hamlet. They asked residents to list what was the most important thing to them about the hamlet and the answer was history.
If you look at the hamlet, it is the homeowners who have worked to preserve their historic homes. They may not have been landmarked, but to the families, they are worthy of preservation.
We haven’t been landmarking important sites in the community. That is something we should be looking into again.
There are cycles we go through. We somehow have to keep learning about what to do and what our priorities are and should be. Maybe we have to keep reinventing ourselves, over and over again to keep fresh and up to date.
Whatever – we hope you will respond and come up with some ideas on how we can become proactive in preserving the best in Oyster Bay.
Just look at what Tom Suozzi did to the Nassau County Executive building. He got interested donors to give money to fund the restoration of the site. It uncovered the dome inside the hearing room. He put a statue of President Theodore Roosevelt in front of the building, welcoming people. It was a restoration project, and was wonderfully done. It gave a sense of ownership and a focus for Nassau County pride.
Oyster Bay has to put on thinking caps and come up with the process, the project, the people and the preservation foundation that can make this sort of thing happen here. History is alive and well in Oyster Bay, but like everything else, if you don’t take care of it, it erodes away.
Things change. That is good, but let’s make sure that the changes in Oyster Bay keep our history alive and well. Let’s become proactive.
– DFK
