Cedar Creek sale, development

I just heard that our very own Tom Suozzi is interested in selling Cedar Creek Park to a private developer. Possible plans include a giant go cart raceway, as well as the plan to take away the hills our kids snow sled on to construct more soccer fields, to rent out to camps etc.. Other plans include activities to increase the owners profit margin. Our quiet park will be turned into a loud, overly lit up amusement park. The people of Seaford and Wantagh need to speak up! Tell Leg. Dunne and the County Executive to use our tax money for the tax payers of this county. We pay, and what do we get, excuses from our county officials. You wanted to get elected. The buck stops with you guys. Stop whining and start planning on putting the residents first, or you will be out. The people are starting to wake up. We demand to know where our tax money is going.
Keep our park for us!

I am disgusted at the proposal to turn Cedar Creek Park, Seaford, NY into a privately owned pay-to-play "amusement park" instead of the prestine county park our parents and parents' parents have enjoyed. The developer is only interested in the monies incurred from the go-cart track and is not doing a thing if it is not okayed. Please read (much) more information and up-to-date details about this topic in the facebook group "Save Cedar Creek Park (Seaford, NY)" as well as attend the meeting (on the topic) at Wantagh High School on 9/30/09 at 7 pm !

If Nassau County's Administrator's (that includes you, Mr. Suozzi) want to have a go-cart track, miniature golf course and a ballfield that will negatively affect the quality of life of nearby residents; let them build such a complex in their own communities! Perhaps they, and their neighbors won't mind the loud noise produced by race cars, the glare of high-intensity lights that such development would call for, as well as the increase in traffic to their area. I'm sure the nieghbors of such Nassau County administrators would stand in line to congratulate him/her on bringing all of this to their town, while the owner of the complex pays no town or school taxes and they keep paying more.
I don't want this sports complex built in Seaford, and I'm sure most of Seaford's residents do not want this complex built in our Cedar Creek Park or anywhere else in our town.

I was at there meeting last night at the Wantagh High School. they are making this project under the idea that this place will be for kids with autism. We all know they are full of it. This county is is a mess. We cant even go to the pool in Wantagh anymore because of the camps that they bus in here. They cut funding so the staff is smaller. The camps make a mess and no one cleans it up. Every Sunday myself and my neighbors have to listen to latin music blasting while soccer is being played in the park at 7 and 8 in the am. No one checks for leisure passes. This plan will bring unwanted traffic as well as unwanted rif raf to the community.
I spoke with the developer as well as Darrel Strawberry last night at the meeting. They showed up and they were not allowed in the meeting so they stayed outside and talked to the community. Please no one fall for their lies. They say this park will never charge for use. I for one do not believe them. They say that the go karts put out less noise then the rc airplanes.
One of the developers stated that this is a win win for us. It was done at Chelsea Piers and it was great. I cant believe that they would ever place Chelsea piers in the same sentence with wantagh. I for one do not want Wantagh to turn into Chelsea Pier.
They also spoke of the revenue that this will bring and help keep our taxes down. When I reminded them that they have a 20 year tax free run they stated that the taxes have already been added into the price they are paying for the property.
Kate Murry is up for election we need to let her know she will not be elected if she approves this construction on this site. Wantagh is already starting to look like queens with allthe auto garages and the store fronts closed up. If this doesnt work and they close up that land is going to turn into an unusable swamp that our kids used to enjoy

We elected our County Executive and local Boards to take care of the Nassau County residents and taxpaying citizens, not turn Nassau into a sub division of NYC. If I wanted to live in NYC I would move there. Our non representing representatives better start listening to us. Or they will be voted out ASAP.
I do not want our parks sold to private developers! They are our parks!!! The taxpayers!!! I have been a resident of Nassau County for 30 years and have witnessed the deterioration of our County over the years.
I joined the Wantagh pool last year. After one day there there I asked for my money back. My 2 small kids were trampled in the kiddie pool by hundreds of camp children who were crammed into the park. Cedar Creek will look like dump if we don't speak up!
A Seaford Resident....

Do the developers still want to leave the undeveloped part of the park undeveloped? I admit that this report is from the 1980's, but it sounds like a relatively rare ecosystem none-the-less.
http://www.nyswaterfronts.com/downloads/pdfs/...

There is an open meeting scheduled for Wednesday, October 21, 7PM at Wantagh High School regarding this matter.

Yes, an OPEN MEETING (open to the public) will be held at Wantagh High School on Wed. Oct. 21st at 7 pm. Do not believe the article in the Wantagh Seaford Citizen saying this is a no go. It is still open for re-development and it is strongly agreed upon that after elections this issue will be back and it's time to stop them from taking our park and turning it into "Chelsea Pier" - as stated by the developer himself (as someone noted above). We do not want this park privatized, we do not want go-karts/traffic/ruined green open spaces.... Time to speak up NOW - before it's too late ! This meeting will NOT be canceled ! It is ON

I am FIRMLY against the idea of the privatization of this park, of course. The idea that it will be used FOR PROFIT and that services will be taken FROM County residents is a disgrace.

BUT.....

All you long time residents who somehow want the County not to be developed at all really need to get out of the 60s. The County you moved to back then, when there were tons of jobs with Fairchild and Grumman and other industries is not the same County of today. This is not open farmland anymore and development....PROPER development is key to the future of this County and the younger families like mine who seek a future here. Someone said "no go-kart track" ANYWHERE in Seaford. Why not? If, lets say this Tavella found and bought a piece of commercial property (not the park) and developed it into a nice family friendly facility for everyone to enjoy, and it wasnt too noisy or crowded, thats a BAD thing? No....thats a GOOD thing. That adds value to our community. You CANNOT just dismiss everything out of hand because you want things to be how they were in the 70s. We need to look to the future, not the past.

Hey Charlie......With all due respect, this is a park we are talking about being developed ! A park that my family and I enjoy! As well as all the other County residents!
I am for development of Nassau. The lighthouse project is a good thing.
Taxes are going sky high. I think the bigger question is what is our elected officilas doing with it? Why does our society so dependant on constant development to fund our local government? Politicians are addicted to spending!

Chris, you dont understand. Im totally against the selling/leasing and developemnt of the Park. Im just saying that we cant dismiss proper development and in a lot of cases re-development of the community just out of hand. If this clown Tavella, like you or I would, put up his own money and bought a piece of commercial private property that was for sale for his track, instead of trying to glom off a public trust like a Park, there would be nothing wrong with that. Some people think even that would be no good, which is crazy.

I feel like the county is selling out. I am in favor of the Lighthouse project but what is next? It needs to stop somewhere has anyone seen traffic around Merrick Road & Wantagh Ave at 5pm in the summer wait until a giant go cart raceway comes! I say build it in Swindlehurst, Copiague or Babylon that will fit in perfect in a TPT neighborhood.

I think a Go-Cart track would be a perfect fit for Seaford. I grew up in Wantagh,NY and always thought Cedar Creek was an empty lot that was never used to the full extent. Crazy Hills only good for snow-sled riding if it snows enough anymore.

I say Build some nice stuff for kids in Cedar Creek,Seaford NY. Camp grounds, Soccer fields, Dirt Bike track for BMX bikes, Food, Vending, maybe even a Taco Bell or Wendys sub-station would be a perfect fit.

No they are looking to develop the ENTIRE park, in addition they are looking to build several new access roads to and from the park. They will be placed in several areas of the town including right through a school zone (right in front of the Seaford Harbor school).

John wrote:

Do the developers still want to leave the undeveloped part of the park undeveloped? I admit that this report is from the 1980's, but it sounds like a relatively rare ecosystem none-the-less.
http://www.nyswaterfronts.com/downloads/pdfs/...

It is a great thing to chose where you want to live. I say if you like development with lots of things to do around town then chose to live in those locations. Perhaps Coney Island is a nice fit for people that want lots of development. Many of us moved to Seaford and Wantagh and places like it to get away from the hustle and bustle and high traffic volume. I say leave things as they are. We like to take a stroll, or a bike ride with our families, and enjoy the park. If we wanted a NYC big city experience then we would have moved there!

Several weeks ago, Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi proudly announced his plans for a "New Suburbia" whose moniker is the "90/10 Solution." According to Executive Suozzi, a revitalized Nassau is predicated on targeting 10% of Nassau land to the development of "cool downtown’s" and mega projects, while "protecting and enhancing the remaining 90%, INCLUDING WATERFRONTS, OPEN SPACES AND SCENIC RESOURCES." But how can Mr. Suozzi promote this strategy with a straight face??? Especially when his own administration officials have sought to cede a 259 acre park with one of the few remaining tracts of LI wetlands for the private development of an indoor-outdoor [electric/gas] go-kart track and multiple for profit sports facility? All on a tax free basis? That right TAX FREE…. To them, not to the nearly 35,000 residents of Seaford and Wantagh.

All this on the waterfront of Seaford and Wantagh?

Modeled after the multisport-plex F1 Boston in Braintree, Massachusetts (www.f1boston.com ), this comes as close to a mini-Coney Island in a pristine open park on Long Islands South Shore – the gateway to Jones Beach and enjoyed by at least 500,000 park goers each year.

Lead developer Philip Tavella, a financial adviser of Diversified Financial Investments in Bellmore, who has been, since the RFP was published in April, 2009, guarded about who will actually sponsor and profit by the development. He and Nassau Deputy Executive, Ian Siegel, have confirmed that the project would be financed by private investment of hedge funds. In addition, the developer is also working along side Ex-Met Darryl Strawberry (who coincidentally is currently filming in NYC/LI with Donald Trump for the upcoming season of Celebrity Apprentice) and his (Darryl Strawberry) Foundation, aka Center for Autism Education [based in Missouri] which raises funds for autistic children.

After several community meetings in September, the Nassau's parks department has indicated through a press release that the go-kart entertainment proposal is a "no go" (reference attached press release here).

But based upon the County's track record, encouraging the privatization, in whole or in part of County's parks since 2002, community leaders seek a binding moratorium on the private development of Cedar Creek and the assurance there will not be a diversion of waste from parts of the North Shore (Glen Cove-Suozzi’s home city) to the water treatment plant located within Cedar Creek Park in Seaford.

The Coalition is a viral grass roots organization which does not naively "cling" to a Rockwellian vision of Long Island life, but asks the simple question to Mr. Suozzi and all Nassau politicians, "What are you thinking?" Nassau's open space assets are unique and are to be treasured-ALWAYS. In the not so many words of a famous songwriter….The Coalition does not want the County to "pave paradise and put up a go-kart track."

The Coalition to Save Cedar Creek park is holding a meeting for all Nassau residents on WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2009 at 7PM the AUTOTORIUM of WANTAGH HIGH SCHOOL, Wantagh, NY. Nassau County officials and legislators have been invited. We invite and encourage you attend this meeting as well.

A trove of information can be found on the group's Facebook page at: Save Cedar Creek Park

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php...

http://www.nyswaterfronts.com/downloads/pdfs/...

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html...

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/strawberry...

I think a place for kids and adults to gather and play would be a great idea in Cedar Creek too many people over reacting gocart track food vending! New is good do not be afraid of change. This is a great idea.

I am excited and just found out today Tom Suozzi is interested in selling Cedar Creek Park to a private developer. Possible plans include a giant go cart raceway, as well as the plan to take away the hills to construct more soccer fields, and rent out to camps etc. This would be a positive change and bring in much needed money to the Seaford Wantagh area. I gurantee our taxes would be lowered and local shops to much better in this economy.

Tom Suozzi is interested in selling Cedar Creek Park to a private developer. Possible plans include a giant go cart raceway, tear down the mountains that I always hated. I say build it! The park had done zero. Now we can have a fun place to bring my two daughters.

If you want stimulation....go to adventureland on RTE 110. Leave our park alone.
Use your heads! The park is owned by the taxpayers. That is you and me. Suozzi wants to sell it off to a private developer with the understanding that this private owner would not have to pay taxes on the property. No school tax. No County tax...etc.... And the dumb tax paying citizens would be charged a fee to use the park we already own. We would also have to tolerate an increase in traffic, noise and garbage. The value of our property would go down!!! But our taxes on said property will continue to go up!!
"What luck it is for our leaders, that people do not think."