Politics & Government

Shoreline Trail in North Hempstead Expands

A shoreline-to-shoreline trail continues to evolve in Port Washington.

Written by Adina Genn

Progress is being made on the shoreline-to-shoreline trail in North Hempstead, with efforts now underway for the newest segment along Hempstead Harbor in Port Washington.

The trail is more than 20 years in the making – an effort led initially by Residents For A More Beautiful Port Washington and then-Town Supervisor May Newburger. Ultimately, the trail will stretch along Manhasset Bay, connecting the Town Dock to Manorhaven Park, and along Hempstead Harbor, from North Hempstead Beach Park to Roslyn.

Over time, the town has been able to increase acreage and build the trails through the grant process, Supervisor Jon Kaiman said, including the newest segment along Hempstead Harbor.

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Kaiman, at the July 18 Town Hall public meeting, thanked Tony Scotto for enabling the town to “acquire the acreage."

At that meeting the board approved a resolution awarding a $700,955 contract to Galvin Bros., a Great Neck construction firm. The project is being developed as a joint venture with Madhue Contracting in Plandome. 

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“The trail is a great success for the town,” and is part of “a large commitment to the environment,” Kaiman said.

The effort has seen success in no small part to the collaboration between the town and Residents, along with village leaders, elected officials, and volunteers. A case in point is Bay Walk, the Port Washington North portion of the Manhasset Bay section of the trail.

The newest Hempstead Harbor portion will be implemented in five phases. The first two phases will comprise “an additional mile to the Hempstead Harbor portion of the trail and will include: cleaning, grubbing, leveling, designing and adding wood chips/ADA compliant crush stone walkway, wetland native plantings, benches, wayfinding signage and a boardwalk on wood piles to traverse streams,” said Residents Executive Director Mindy Germain at the July meeting.  

“To get the project going, Residents worked with local Boy Scouts to blaze the first fifth of a mile of this trail southward from Hempstead Harbor Park, and built an informational kiosk at the head of the trail,” she said.

And, back in May, Guggenheim students and Schreiber Tree Huggers worked with  Residents and the town, including Kaiman and Councilwoman Dina De Giorgio, to clean, mulch and build buzz about this trail, Germain noted.  

Germain thanked the town as well as members of Residents, and its founders Eric Pick and Mike Blumenfeld, for their work and vision.

Also instrumental in the trail’s development are trails project leaders Dan Donatelli and Paul Stewart, and trails committee members Dawn Serignese, Bonnie Doran and Lloyd Karmel, Germain said.

“When complete this trail system will increase connectivity, makes our community more liveable, improves the economy through tourism and civic improvement, preserves and restore open space and provides opportunities for physical activity to improve fitness and mental health,” she said.


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