Syosset Resident Creates Online Petition To Improve Local Park

A Syosset resident recently started an online petition to convince Town of Oyster Bay officials to rebuild a local park.

Todd Ennis recently started the petition on Change.org to try to collect a total of 100 signatures before sending it to Town officials as well as the Town board members.

According to Ennis, Syosset Park, located off of Cold Spring Road, is "long overdue" for an upgrade.

The park, which includes a playground, basketball court, walking path and open grass area, is in need of additional lighting for those walking through at night and upgraded playground equipment, Ennis said.

In addition, the park is in need of additional care. Residents often find broken bottles left in the pebbles on the playground, according to Ennis.

"Many residents have complained about teenagers drinking, using drugs in the park, broken bottles, etc.," he wrote in an email. "The park has a lot of potential given the location close to the town center, and adjacent to the county sump."

The petition also calls for additional improvements to the park including: replacing park trees and planting, upgrading park fence to make a secure area for children to play, improving the basketball court, adding lamp post park lighting along paved walkway, making a walkable path through the park lined with new park benches, installing seating areas and a gazebo around the sump and cleaning out the sump and create an open area with walking path.

"I have three young kids myself and usually do not make as much use of the park as we would like to," Ennis told Patch. "A lot of young families with young children have moved into the surrounding neighborhood and have been hoping for a change in this park for some time. The playground equipment is unsafe, paint is chipping and slide is too hot for kids to use. The pebbles used as surface protection is not as safe as newer material and you can find broken bottles buried in it."

The online petition has received a total of 51 signatures as of Wednesday.

Ennis said he has also spoken to some people on the town council and has had meetings with the town parks department, He believe that progress has been made.

"My concern is that the town will be slow to renovate this park or do it in extended phases rather than as one project," he said. "This is a project that will make it safer for people walking through the park in the dark at night, create an open nature area in an unused and a poorly maintained sump that looks more like a garbage debris field."

Last week, Ennis announced that he was informed that the Town Parks Department has expressed interest in this improvement project. A design plan of the park (pictured above) was prepared by Baldino Design Group located in Oyster Bay.

To learn more, read the full online petition here.

Park rendering created by Lou Baldino