Letter to the Editor: Hampshire Country Club

Speculation about the future of Hampshire Country Club has begun. One thing is clear, the club is broke, and can no longer afford to stay open. The fate of the 120-acre property is up in the air. Recent reports indicated that the Town and Village of Mamaroneck are looking at a possible acquisition of the property. This could either be very exciting news or the opposite, and a conversation that includes the entire Mamaroneck community should take place in order to determine what is the best and most sensible way to move forward.   

The Hampshire Country Club should be viewed as a critical component of Mamaroneck's most precious resource: our beautiful Sound Shore coastline. Following the Sound Shore north from Larchmont to Rye, there are only a few public spaces where one can go and appreciate the area's natural treasures. Larchmont's magestic Manor Park would certainly be one of them. Mamaroneck's Harbor Island Park, particularly the area around the South Basin where recent redevelopment/landscaping has restored some of the Sound Shore ecosystem, would be another. Lastly, there is Rye's Marshlands Conservancy, a pristine area of substantial acreage untouched by human development (aside from John Jay's house, of course) with spectacular views of the Sound.

These three unique public spaces represent the desirability and allure of living here, a place where this natural splendor contrasts so dynamically with its proximity to one of the largest concrete jungles on the planet. The value of this dynamic is measured not only in the joy induced by a Sunday afternoon walk along the Sound, but also in our property values and overall economic vibrancy.

It is through this lens that we should view the Village of Mamaroneck's possible aquisition of the Hampshire Country Club. Some who would say that this property is not on the Sound Shore would be mistaken. Delancy Cove, a part of the Monroe Inlet of Larchmont Harbor, is in Hampshire club's backyard, so to speak. In fact, part of the property is an island with a gazebo in the middle of it; a real special little spot.

The village should move forward with the purpose of opening up this area to the public and highlighting its beauty. However, this back area is only a small fraction of the actual property. The golf course, lovely as it is, should remain. As Westchester's newest public golf course it would bring in a solid stream of revenue for the Village, revenue that could be put to use redeveloping the rest of the property. Bike paths/pedestrian walkways surrounding the golf course could be linked up with nearby Flint park, and even Harbor Island (with a safe bike lane through Orienta). That way bikers and joggers could easily access the Delancy cove area, which would be an attractive escape on a hot summer afternoon. 

Not so simple would be what to do with the Club house itself; it's big and cumbersome, and doesn't lend itself easily to redevelopment. It is hard to imagine someone opening up a restaurant in it. To some, the idea of leveling, landscaping, and incorporating the area into the natural space may seem radical. A more detailed cost benefit analysis of such a project would be required. Another option could be to turn the building into a museum, again costly, but the money could be recouped over time with entrance fees and special events. 

Although village officials will be tempted to hand the failed club off to developers for a lump sum, who will in turn build condos similar to the ones being proposed to replace Mamaroneck Beach and Yacht club, they should stop an think twice. Our natural spaces are singular in the area. More development along the Sound Shore will only take away from the uniqueness of the area.

Instead, we can be conservative and progressive at the same time; preserving natural beauty and public space for future generations while at the same time moving to make this area ever more distinct and appealing for residents and businesses alike. 

Aaron Straus Garcia  graduated from Rye Neck High School in 2005 and recently received a journalism and communications degree from Suffolk University in Boston. He lives in Mamaroneck and is "deeply commited to progressive principles and ideals," believing that "change matters not just at the national level, but at the local level as well."