The Mineola Village Board authorized more than $259,000 in payments last week to contractors and consulting firms handling the revamp of Memorial Park. The park has been undergoing extensive renovations since last year. The project calls for a new gazebo, bandshell and upgraded tennis courts, with the project being financed through development incentive bonus funds.
“It’s coming along quite well,” Mayor Scott Strauss said.
The footing and foundation of the bandshell is complete according to Public Works Superintendent Tom Rini. As of last week, the bandshell itself is ready for construction at the park.
Four of seven support columns need to be cemented, according to village officials. Rini said as long as weather cooperates the work should continue to move forward. Mineola-based Valente Contracting, which had submitted a $1.55 million bid last May to handle construction duties, has been reporting to Rini since breaking ground.
“It was a little difficult working through December,” Rini said. “Valente Contracting did a good job to keep moving. We’ll start to see the actual structure go up.”
The bandshell is rising at the south end of the park near the Mineola Memorial Library. The new gazebo would sit at the northeast corner of the park near the intersection of Jackson Avenue and Marcellus Road. The previous gazebo that stood near the tennis courts was razed after Hurricane Irene in 2011.
Village reps estimated an early-to mid-spring completion of the tennis court renovation.
“The courts were completely excavated,” Rini said. “That got us up to Dec. 15 when the asphalt plants closed. We had hoped we could get in. We’re hoping in the next couple weeks where we get a good string of good weather days and can do [more work].”
