Fuschillo Park in Carle Place getting $2.4M in upgrades, one of them a first in North Hempstead

A long-awaited, $2.4 million revamp of Carle Place’s Charles J. Fuschillo Park is on its way and will include the first accessible playground for disabled children in North Hempstead, town officials said.

The 4.3-acre park, which was built in 1946, is filled with outdoor spaces for children, including a baseball field, basketball court, playground, a hockey rink and an open recreational area with benches near the main entrance. In recent years, local residents have called for new equipment and upgrades to the park. North Hempstead officials announced late last year their plan to reimagine the area.

In 2019, town officials identified the hockey rink, playground and open recreational area with seating as underutilized, and former Councilwoman Viviana Russell and then-Supervisor Judi Bosworth held a meeting to gather feedback and ideas from residents. The revamp of the park will include installation of a splash pad, repurposing of a recreation area that will include an exercise area and game tables, shaded seating areas with charging stations for moblie devices and an accessible playground for disabled youths.

"One thing I’ve learned throughout my tenure is that community input is vital," Russell, who ran unsuccessfully for town clerk in 2021, told Newsday on Monday. "COVID slowed us down quite a bit, but things are back on track."

Though the park has seen minor improvements, Russell noted that this project will include the most extensive set of upgrades to the facility in about 30 years.

Longtime Carle Place resident Eileen Vaz, 50, attended the 2019 meeting and advocated for upgrades. She said her children, who are 10 and 12, mainly visit the park for Little League games. The changes will hopefully provide a boost for the area, she said.

"It would be nice to see the next generation of children in the area have the park to go to." Vaz said. "It’s a well-needed and an overdue redo."

The town hired the engineering firm NV5 of Melville in August 2020 to consult on the project and prepare drawings. North Hempstead officials said bid solicitation is expected to take place in late spring or early summer. Construction is slated to begin this fall, as summer ballfield permits were already issued.

The town has budgeted about $2.4 million over the next two years to cover engineering and construction costs, according to North Hempstead’s 2022 adopted capital plan. About $1 million of that will be paid for by the Long Island Rail Road’s Community Benefit Fund, which is designed to support local initiatives intended to ensure quality-of-life throughout the construction phase of LIRR 's Third Track project.

In a statement, Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said she was excited that her administration will get to oversee the park upgrades and make sure they come to fruition.

"Fuschillo Park has needed some improvements and enhancements for quite a while now, and I look forward to seeing this project move along over the next two years, ultimately resulting in the replacement of the existing playground, installation of a spray pad and the renovation of the quiet area," DeSena said. "I am confident the families and children of Carle Place will be very happy with this project once it is completed in 2023."