2019 was a monumental year for Port Washington. From monumental updates to the community, such as the installation of the expanded Nice Bus service, a new playground at the Sands Point Preserve or the discussion of implementing sea gates, this was a productive and memorable year. As the year comes to an end, here are some of the top stories written by our editors in 2019.
In January, the Town of North Hempstead released its proposed capital plan for 2019-23. The plan included major projects within Port Washington including an extension to the Bay Walk in Port Washington North, a visioning plan for the North Hempstead Beach Park and reconstruction of the Town Dock. The general fund five-year capital plan included $102.9 million of infrastructure investment. More than $42 million of the plan went toward Port Washington work.
In April, the Village of Munsey Park heard from ExteNet Systems—a provider of converged communication infrastructure and services for advanced network connectivity—regarding the proposed placement of a small cell AKA cell node on the corner of Park Avenue and Manhasset Woods Road, property that is in Munsey Park, but is just a house or two away from the Village of Flower Hill. This is just one of the many articles written about the cell nodes this year. They have continued to be a hot topic, with applications and deadlines still up for discussion with the Town of North Hempstead.
In May, the Shore Road Shuttle was renamed the Port Washington Shuttle and was expanded to serve more Port Washington commuters with a new route. The shuttle service was truly a community effort. The service began along West Shore Road due to a need for a bus to connect West Shore Road with the Port Washington and Roslyn Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) stations.
Later that same month was the grand opening of the Woodland Playground at the Sands Point Preserve. Located in the woods next to the Phil DeJana Learning Center, the playground features state-of-the-art equipment, including a custom-designed cedar castle with towers, turrets, tunnels, a spiral slide, and climbing walls, along with a 75’ zip line, rockers, spinners, tether ball and a huge geodesic dome climber. Children of all ages and abilities can now enjoy creative play in a range of modalities to develop coordination, balance and strength.
In October, more than 300 residents gathered for a presentation from the Army Corps of Engineers about a potential Throgs Neck surge gate. A major topic this year, the Army Corps of Engineers has held several meetings, which have discussed different alternatives for protecting New York Harbor after the impact of Superstorm Sandy.
