Summer: the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

By Janet O'Connell

There are many advantages to living in southern Westchester County, and the June meeting of the Local Summit proved this. The speakers described an amazing array of facilities, activities and opportunities for summer family fun in Larchmont and Mamaroneck. There is something for everyone from outdoor concerts to hiking trails, to camps and camping, to reading programs, and water activities on Long Island Sound.

Westchester County Programs

Mary Kaye Koch, the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for the Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation, noted that our County is situated between two great bodies of water—the Hudson River and Long Island Sound, and there are a variety of opportunities for residents. The County operates six pools and beaches which will open on June 24th. Residents can enjoy pool parties, outdoor movie screenings and even a sand castle building contest. The beaches and pools do have fees, but they are reasonable. One of the County’s best known destinations is, of course, Rye Playland, with rides, swimming, food, concerts, fireworks and daily entertainment.

Ms. Koch pointed out that there are many free programs at the County’s nature centers, including nearby Marshland Conservancy in Rye. The Bronx River Parkway is closed to automobile traffic on certain Sundays, but even when the road itself is not closed off, there are bike, walking and jogging pathways. There are other trails and parks in the County, too numerous to list, but can be found on the County’s website: http://parks.westchestergov.com. The County maintains six 18-hole golf courses, and there are several driving ranges. Worthwhile are visits to Muscoot Farm, an early-1900s interpretive farm, and Lasdon Park and Arboretum with over 234 acres of woodlands, formal gardens, and an open grass meadow. You can even go camping in County-operated campgrounds!

Town of Mamaroneck

Jill Fisher, the Superintendent of Recreation for the Town of Mamaroneck reminded the group about the colorful booklets that every household receives in the mail twice a year with listings of the Town’s events and activities.

The Town of Mamaroneck operates the Hommocks Pool--which it leases from the School District--and offers swimming lessons, a competitive swim club, and other training programs. For older swimmers, there is an open (free) Morning Swim, Aqua Jog and Aqua Zumba. The Town tennis courts are at Memorial Park, and tennis lessons are available. Golf lessons are offered at near-by Saxon Woods Golf Course. Together with the Village of Mamaroneck, the Town gives kayaking and paddle board lessons at Harbor Island. In addition, the Town offers summer day camp programs, but these are already full for this summer.

Ms. Fisher said that there are no playing fields at Memorial Park, but it is a wonderful place to have a picnic. “Bring a blanket and enjoy,” she said. On four different Monday nights in July and early August, the Town will present “Outdoor Concerts in the Park”. The list of performers is on the website or in the booklet.

There are fees attached to most of the Town’s offerings, but that is intended to keep taxes lower. “It would not be fair to levy taxes for Hommocks pool, if a person never swims,” she said. To see the full list of offerings by the Town of Mamaroneck, visit the website: http://www.townofmamaroneck.org.

Village of Mamaroneck

The Recreation Superintendent of the Village of Mamaroneck, Sandy Mary Korkatsis, followed up with more information about Harbor Island. She said, “Summer is a wonderful time of the year. This is what we live and breathe for, and Harbor island is a beautiful gem both to the Village of Mamaroneck and the Town as well. It is a terrific asset.” The Village has been working hard to extend its programs. The beach is open full time starting on Memorial Day weekend and has extended swimming hours. Permits are required plus a small parking fee, but the park is free to take advantage of the fishing docks and fields. The Town has been partnering with different sponsors to keep fees low.

The newly expanded and renovated Marine Education Center in Harbor Island will be opening in mid-July for its fourth year. The renovations were spear headed by the Desmond family and were made possible through a cooperative effort and partnership between the Village of Mamaroneck and the Marine Education Center (MEC) Advisory Committee. “The purpose of the Marine Education Center is to inspire students and visitors to understand and appreciate our waters and value marine life and what is in our harbor. It is well worth a visit.”

The Village summer camp starts on June 29th. It is a six-week program, and the kids will visit the Marine Education Center at least three times a week. In addition, at Harbor Island, there is the mariners program which teaches 7th through 9th graders about sailing, boating, knots, kayaking etc.

Summer Nights on the Sound, sponsored by the Village of Mamaroneck Arts Council, showcases live musical programs at the Harbor Island Park Bandstand. This year the free concerts will be on July 10th and subsequent Sunday nights. Bring your blanket and enjoy music under the stars overlooking the beach.

Other events that the Village of Mamaroneck has scheduled include:

· The first annual “Tiki Invasion” on July 29: featuring steel drum bands, food trucks and a cash bar courtesy of Molly Spillane’s. Later that night there will be a free outdoor movie under the stars for the whole family.

· Summer on the Avenue, July 14th and August 11th: will showcase the businesses on Mamaroneck Avenue and will include face painting, bouncy castles, a scavenger hunt, bands and other activities for all ages.

· Family Fun Night on August 7th: a five-piece band at Harbor Island with kayaking

· The 69th Annual Firemen’s Carnival from June 29 to July 5th. On July 4th there will be fireworks as well as an orchestral.

· Daily kayaking and kayak rentals.

· Sunrise and sunset yoga sessions: utilizing the water front and partnering with local businesses.

Further information about all the events organized by the Village of Mamaroneck can be found on the Village’s website: http://www.village.mamaroneck.ny.us.

Village of Larchmont

Dorothea Constas, a member of the Village of Larchmont Recreation Committee, said that most of the recreational and arts events take place in Flint Park and are open to both residents and non-residents. On July 4th, there will be races with hotdogs afterwards and a DJ. That evening, there will be a concert in Manor Park followed by fireworks.

Back in Flint Park on Thursday nights in July, there will concerts. Bring a blanket and a picnic or buy from Walters, which will be selling hotdogs in Flint Park and enjoy the summer evening and the music.

The Village tennis courts are in Flint park, and this year the Village is offering day passes in addition to seasonal memberships. The tennis courts are open all summer and then paddle tennis is available in the winter. The Village has a day camp in Flint Park, which is open only to village residents. It is full for this year, but keep it in mind for next year. The Recreation Committee is working to create bike lanes in the Village of Larchmont. On the opening day there will be sessions on bike safety and how to share the road with cars. You can find more information on the Village of Larchmont website: www.villageoflarchmont.org.

Other Local Recreational Opportunities

Nancy Seligson, Town of Mamaroneck Supervisor, reminded the group about the 15-mile trail system called the Colonial Greenway and the part of it that goes through our area called the Leatherstocking Trail. In the Town of Mamaroneck, this greenway runs for about 2.5-miles from Pinebrook Boulevard in New Rochelle through the center of the Town of Mamaroneck to Rock Ridge Road in Mamaroneck Village. The trail provides a quick and easily accessed respite from urbanized life and features a typical northeastern hardwood forest with occasional riverine areas.

In response to a question about what is available for 12-16 year olds, Ms. Korkatsis said that the Village of Mamaroneck is redoing all of its basketball courts, and she noted that the Village offers positions for counselors in training (CITs). The Marine Education Center will train kids to work at the center, and the Village has a summer internship program throughout the summer. There are plans to launch “Sound Shore Idol”, based on the popular television show. Yonkers has done something similar, and it helps young people prepare their performance submissions for college applications.

Two librarians in the audience, Dee Smith from the Mamaroneck Public Library and Leon Haggerty from the Larchmont Public Library reported that the libraries have lots of terrific free programs throughout the summer, including story hours for all ages, music and movement classes, movie matinees, and craft programs. There are programs for older children as well, including reading competitions. Some programs are bilingual. More information is available on the libraries’ websites: www.mamaronecklibrary.org and www.larchmontlibrary.org.

Phillip Oldham mentioned that the Larchmont Lions Club is sponsoring a local peace poster contest for 11 to 13-year olds. The winner will have an opportunity to compete nationally. For more information, contact the Lions Club or Diane Oldham.

Wow! What terrific ways to stay busy and celebrate this wonderful time of the year.

This breakfast forum was hosted by The Larchmont-Mamaroneck Local Summit, an informal community council that seeks to make life better for all in the tri-municipal area. Its monthly public meetings are held at the Nautilus Diner in Mamaroneck at 7:45 a.m. usually on the third Tuesday of the month. After a summer break, its next meeting will be September 20.