Hendrickson Park

Arthur J. Hendrickson Park: The heart of Valley Stream

Fletcher Avenue is more than home to Valley Stream Central High School. Students craving a place to get away in nature only have to walk across the street to spend a chill afternoon sitting by the water with friends at Arthur J. Hendrickson Park. In fact, residents living up and down the street are only a stone’s throw away from this jewel of green space.

No wonder it’s the worst-kept secret in the village. In fact, if you’re a Valley Stream resident, it’s a safe bet you’ve made the trip to Arthur J. Hendrickson Park and sampled its buffet of recreational options — from playing mini-golf to shooting hoops at the outdoor basketball courts.

With a state-of-the-art pool facility, scenic pond, mini-golf, athletic courts, a community center, and a biking and walking trail, it seems all paths to fun lead to A.J. Hendrickson Park. Regularly drawing in dozens of people of all ages and backgrounds, it’s no wonder even others who live across Nassau County and the Queens metropolitan area can’t stay away.

With such a big slice of community life, tons of new accommodations, spaces, and programs are being added year-round, so no one is left out of the excitement.

Stroll along the walking path, and you’ll see our senior citizens — or “silver threads” — enjoying a variety of classes, from finding Zen with outdoor chair yoga, to playing bingo at the community center. Fall brings even more programs like chess, cardio kickboxing, and Zumba, not to mention painting classes and meditative sessions. And then there’s the village pool complex, boasting an Olympic-sized pool, a diving pool, a children’s interactive area, and a newly installed pavilion to lie poolside while you escape the scorching rays of the sun.

But beyond the resort-style perks, residents often come to the park just to get lost in its

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Tim Baker/Herald photos Top: Arthur J. Hendrickson Park regularly draws in people who enjoy its many attractions, including a large, idyllic pond, athletic courts, pool facility and programs at the community center.

Continued from page 16 natural beauty meticulously maintained by the village’s recreation, public works and beautification departments. Some painters, like resident artists Mike Stanko and Yuliya Lobach, have taken swings at capturing its breathtaking beauty.

To that end, the Lake Room and the Burgundy Room in the community center provide a stunning view of the lake and offer two outdoor areas, the gazebo, and the Lakeside Patio, for parkgoers to sit and watch the fountains cascade onto the sparkling pond.

Come Christmas, twinkling lights and a sprinkling of glowing decorations festoon the trees during the annual Winterfest event, where Santa lights up the Christmas tree at the park. Even Old Saint Nick has Arthur J. Hendrickson Park on his radar. You’ll have to see it to believe it.

— Juan Lasso

Top: The bridge allows pedestrian to pass over the cascading Valley Stream Pond. Bottom: This 15-foot-long piece of steel base from the ruins of the World Trade Center is now located at Hendrickson Park to memorialize the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and of the first responders who participated in the rescue efforts.