The Long Island Arena in Commack.... N
On November 6, 1960, on the eve of his election to the Presidency, John F. Kennedy addressed a crowd of 15,000 people at the Commack Arena. He was invited to speak in Commack by the Rosano brothers, local builders active in local Democratic politics. Photo courtesy of the Rosano Brothers of Valmont Homes.
ot long ago, the Long Island Arena was a fixture in the midst of the Commack business area. Somehow this building, which loomed above the surrounding buildings like some sort of huge aircraft hanger left over from World War II, seemed to be an integral part of the downtown Commack community. And for a long time, the Long Island Arena truly was a magnet that was drawing people together in the heart of downtown Commack. That was when the arena was the site of ice hockey matches, basketball games, wrestling matches, rock concerts, political rallies, and a whole host of other forms of entertainment. That was when the arena truly was "a center of sports -- for all the family." The Long Island arena was the pipe dream of Thomas P. Lockhart. In the early 1950's, Thomas Lockhart was the President of the Amateur Hockey Association of the United States and President of the Eastern Amateur Hockey League. He felt there was a need for an indoor sports arena on Long Island and felt that Commack was just the right spot for such a facility. The fact that Commack was almost in the geographical center of Long Island, and was fairly easy to travel to by way of Jericho Turnpike, Veterans Highway, or the Northern State Parkway, made Commack the ideal location for a sports complex. Mr. Lockhart's pipe dream began to become reality in 1954 with the construction of the arena on the 22 acre site off Veterans Highway in Commack. Although the construction started then, it took another five years before the Long Island Arena opened its doors to the public. The arena itself was "205 feet wide, 330 feet long and 65 feet high" with a floor area of 18,700 square feet. The building was designed so that it had no interior posts or pillars to obstruct the view and every seat in the house had an unobstructed view of the floor. By the time the arena opened in 1959, the seating capacity had been increased to 6700 with parking spaces for 2500 cars. When it opened, the Arena's Board of Directors announced that they planned "to present sports events such as Ice Hockey, Basketball, Boxing, Wrestling, both amateur and professional. In the entertainment field - Ice Shows, Circus, Rodeo, Horse Shows, Dog Shows, Flower and Nursery Shows, Name Band Dancing, Dramatic Performances, Public Ice Skating, etc.” The Board of Directors planned to sponsor "Civic and Commercial Conventions, Industrial Exhibitions, Trade Shows, Sales and Political Meetings, Civic and Organizational Group Activities, or any other event that can be held indoors." These were the dreams of the Board of Directors. Commack would have a sports arena that would be a mecca for sports fans from all over the island who would flock to see their favorite teams compete, and when the arena wasn't being used for a sporting event, then it would become the site for family entertainment. Mr. Lockhart's dreams went beyond the idea of just an indoor sports arena; he had visions of building an outdoor stadium where football games, automobile, motorcycle, and bicycle racing could be held. Although the outdoor sports complex never materialized, the indoor sports arena thrived throughout the 1960's and 70's. The hockey team known as the Long Island Ducks made the sports arena their home and they brought the excitement of professional hockey to Commack. Circuses, ice shows, basketball games, professional wrestling, rock concerts all added to the excitement generated by the arena. Perhaps the most memorable events staged at the Long Island Arena were the two rock shows staged by Blue Oyster Cult and Black Sabbath and the political rally that was held for Richard Nixon. In 1960, when Vice President Nixon was running for President, he came to Commack for a Republican rally, as did John Kennedy, that drew a crowd of 15,000 supporters. 9,000 specators crowded inside the arena to hear the Vice President speak while another 6000 waited outside for a glimpse of the Presidential candidate. This was the size of the crowd that Mr. Lockhart dreamed of drawing to Commack, and his wishful thinking had really become reality. Over the last 20 years, the role that Commack's Arena played as Long Island's sports center was largely supplanted by the Nassau Coliseum. It became harder and harder to draw crowds to sporting events at the Commack Arena. Eventually, the interior of the arena was converted into a huge indoor flea market. When the entire site was developed into the huge shopping center that it is today, the flea market was closed,and the building and its adjacent roller rink were torn down. (New York Herald Tribune on February 27, 1966.)
Commack Union Free School District #10 To say that the Commack School District is a union free school district does not mean that the district is free of labor unions. The term “union free” is a designation N.Y. State has for a school system which was “formed from one or more common school districts for the express purpose of operating a high school program, which common school districts cannot do.” The Commack Common School District #10 became the Commack Union Free School District #10 on October 28, 1948. The minutes of the Board of Education indicate that on that date, a special school meeting was convened for the purpose of considering a change in the classification of Commack from Common to Union Free. The District Superintendent, A.M. Jones, whose office was located at 355 New York Avenue in Huntington, was in attendance at the meeting. The minutes indicate that they talked about the classification and what it would mean if Commack became such a district. He must have encouraged the voters in favor of the designation because after the vote, 38 out of 39 property owners who were present voted “yes” on the question and Commack became a Union Free School District. Mr. Jones once again addressed the meeting and pointed out that the new district could be administered by a school board of between three and nine members. Mr. Jones spoke in favor of five members and on a motion by Mr. George James, seconded and carried, a Board of Education with five members was created. The voters nominated and elected Herman Jurgens, Alfred Johnson, Francis Lauer, Jack Fredentough, and James Cowie. Commack now had a new five member Board of Education, just as it has today. But, it would take another fifteen years before the State of New York would permit the District to open its own high school.
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