Friends of Massapequa Preserve recently hosted the organization’s 17th annual open meeting at the Bar Harbour Library auditorium. About 40 members and guests came to get an update, and to express their concerns regarding what’s been happening in Massapequa Preserve during the past year. President Richard Schary began the meeting by pointing out all the positive media attention that the preserve has been getting in the past few years. The number of people using the preserve has multiplied, with thousands of visitors each week during good weather. This has resulted in frequent overcrowding on the paved multi-use path that is shared by walkers, runners, bicycles, roller-bladers, skate-boarders and baby carriages. In spite of these conditions, Friends stated that in this past year, they received the least amount of complaints about the preserve than in any year since they formed in 2000, and that people love the preserve. It’s in very good overall condition, especially in relationship to the way it looked before this all-volunteer organization was founded, with the mission to “protect, preserve and restore Massapequa Preserve.”
Friends publicized the “eyes and ears” concept before “If you see something, say something” took hold. All members are given a full-page sheet each year, with up-to-date contact information and some of the rules governing the preserve, which all visitors should be following. Friends now has more than 500 pairs of eyes that did not exist before, watching and reporting on the preserve to both the county and friends.
The Friends group pointed out that they do not own or manage the preserve; Nassau County’s Department of Parks and Recreation owns, manages and maintains all 423 acres of passive parkland in this “perpetual preserve.” Friends attributed much of their success to a close working relationship with Nassau County Parks and Public Works Departments, and with local elected officials.
The first major issue addressed at the meeting was the two recent incidents of indecent exposure in the preserve, which received wide publicity at the end of October. It was stated that since Friends began in 2000, serious crime inside the preserve has been almost non-existent. With about a quarter million visitors a year, there have been very few crimes reported. An arrest has been made in one of the two latest incidents, and extra police patrols have been added, including plainclothes and bicycle cops. Friends has met with the police department and both organizations will continue to communicate with each other. Everyone was encouraged to not be afraid to go into the preserve, and to report any suspicious behavior they see to the police.
A second issue receiving a lot of media attention that was discussed at the meeting was the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation’s (D.E.C.’s) recent Remedial Options Report for the Bethpage/Grumman underground contaminated water plume. Friends replied with a formal letter opposing Option 1, the discharge into Massapequa Creek in the preserve of 19,000,000 gallons a day of treated ground water from the plume for the next 200 years. This letter can be found on the DEC’s website.
A number of other issues in the preserve were also raised and discussed, including: deteriorating sections of blacktop paths in need of repair and repaving, invasive plants and the planting of flowers in violation of Nassau County laws, repairs to the Kiwanis Bridge and some damaged fences, illegal off-road ATVs (quads) tearing up the preserve during snowstorms and professional portrait photographers using the preserve as their private studios (and bringing in props) without getting permits.
Friends member and Nassau County Legislator James Kennedy was in attendance, took notes and addressed some of the issues that were raised. He noted that he was already working with both the county and the state on some of these issues before the meeting took place and that he would continue to follow up on them.
