Brookhaven Town creates 17-acre Blue Point Preserve

A 17-acre Brookhaven Town park has opened at the site of a former nursery in Blue Point.

Blue Point Preserve, on Maple Avenue, features a walking path, benches, picnic tables and a pergola to provide shade for visitors. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Saturday, Dec. 19, to formally mark the park’s opening.

The town bought the property in 2012 to shield it from a developer’s plans to build 17 one-acre housing units there, Councilman Neil Foley said. The site, previously occupied by a nursery and greenhouses, had been vacant for about seven years.

“People were happy that we preserved the open space,” said Foley, a Blue Point resident. “The Blue Point community did not want any type of multi-family housing.”

Town officials and local residents battled for several years over potential uses for the park, said Ed Silsbe, president of the Blue Point Community Civic Association. They agreed on a passive-use park with a ¾-mile walking path, he said.

“We have a wonderful opportunity here with a true passive park that could be a true asset to the community,” Silsbe said.