PARKS & RECREATION Updates

GREETINGS PARK LOVERS!

As the heart of summer beats on, our Parks Department has been hard at work ensuring our community spaces remain the vibrant and welcoming havens we all adore. Here's a peek into what's happening!

FOURTH of JULY

Our team got the festivities rolling by preparing the parade route-including mowing, weeding, and sprucing up the village hall. The setup and dismantling of the Show-Mobile sound system for the parade and the swearing-in ceremony went off without a hitch at Village Hall's steps.

DAILY LOVE and CARE ��

As always, regular maintenance like garbage pick-up, and watering our beautiful baskets and planters throughout town, keeps our parks pristine.

SPORTS FIELDS UPKEEP ⚾

At the Joe Erland so ball field, meticulous care goes into mowing, prepping the infield, chalking and painting lines.

ENSURING FUN, ENSURING SAFETY ��

Rocket Ship Park and public restrooms are cleaned and inspected daily. All playground equipment undergoes a thorough check for safety.

HARBORFRONT and TEXACO PARK ��

Regular garbage pick-up, mowing, weeding, and graffiti removal keep these parks inviting and clean. Routine maintenance checks at Texaco Park are performed 2-3 days a week.

BEACH UPDATES ��

East and West Beaches received some TLC with garbage pickup, mowing, and weeding. Notably, both beaches now sport handicap mats for improved accessibility. As we wave goodbye to summer in September, beach closure procedures involve safe removal of lifeguard stands and beach ropes.

ROOM for MORE RECREATION ��

Our beaches are more exciting than ever with the addition of a volleyball net for residents to enjoy. To top it off, the kayak rack capacity at the beach has been extended and can now hold 54 kayaks!

BEACH RESTROOM REFRESH ��

They remain open until 1st November 2023 and have seen a refreshing update with a new coat of paint and privacy extensions installed in the stalls.

As we venture together into the beauty of summer, we look forward to serving you in maintaining our gorgeous community spaces! Thanks!

BRIDGEPORT & PORT JEFFERSON FERRY COMPANY

To start construction of new offices near Village hall

The Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry has successfully navigated the Village Planning Department process and is ready to start building their new office facility just opposite the Village Hall on West Barnum. Fred Hall, the Vice President and General Manager of the ferry company, confirms that the project is set to kick off the week of August 14th, with an expected construction timeline of 12 to 18 months. This expansion underlines the company's ongoing growth and unwavering dedication to the local community.

New Light Installed At Mather

Statement from Mather Hospital about the new stoplight on North Country Road:

In 2022, the Village Planning Board required that Mather Hospital install sidewalks, make roadway improvements (ie turning lanes) and add a traffic light at its North Country Road entrance to improve the traffic flow. This was required by the Village in order for Mather to receive approval of our new Emergency Department building plan. Construction on the light started in June 2023. We are awaiting the arrival of a controller that will work in conjunction with the light at North Country Road and Belle Terre Road. Once we have this equipment and it is installed, there will be a period where the light will blink for several days. A er which the light will be put into full operation. The earliest this will happen is mid-August. We will keep the Village informed of our progress.

“PORT PAWS” A SUCCESS Despite the rain canceling 2nd day!

The 2023 Port Paws Dog Festival event took place from July 14th through 16th, and both Friday and Saturday were exceptional days. Unfortunately, Sunday's events were canceled due to the dangerous rainfall. In prioritizing the safety of everyone involved, the Village made the tough call to halt the event.

More than 70 canines took part in Friday evening's 'TRY IT' segment. Saturday's event drew a crowd of over 800 a endees and had nearly 30 exhibitors, including SCPD and Suffolk County Sheriff canine units.

We are thankful to our presenting sponsor, King O'Rourke, as well as our volunteers, parks, DPW, and code departments.

The event once again will benefit to the Port Jefferson Harbor Education and Arts Conservancy 501 (c)3.

Port Palooza

A Hot day in so many ways!

The live mini music festival took place July 29th, noon to dusk - on two stages with a total of 10 LIVE musical acts ranging from middle schoolers playing live for the first time - to Port Jeff's own Cole Fortier Band - to a new addition to the lineup South Bay Soul (Pictured). The day was filled with relaxation and musical bliss accented with Kilwin's ice cream in the park!

The new stage added this year at the Eagle statue (25a and main) featured four talented musical acts, including "Allie Sandt" (Pictured), which received rave reviews. The band features a Port Jeff resident on bass, and many members are music industry majors at the State University of Oneonta.

The weather held out perfectly until around 7:53 pm when the Keenan Zach Sunset Jazz Trio was cut slightly short by the event chair, Kevin Wood, who helped safely get everyone out of the area.

We thank all the sponsors listed at www.portpalooza.com as well as the support of the Port Jefferson Harbor Education and Arts Conservancy.