Huntington opens playground to replace one damaged by Sandy

The Town of Huntington opened a new, $187,000 playground at Hobart Beach in Eatons Neck this weekend, replacing one that was damaged during superstorm Sandy.

The playground, which officially opened Friday, has a maritime theme and is positioned close to the beach, making it easy for parents to soak up the sun or cool off in the water, all while keeping their children within eyesight.

“We kept watching every week — are they done yet?” Northport resident Kristen Rozell, said Monday of the playground. “We like to come to this beach because it’s very calm and it’s nice for the kids to have something to play on . . . They did a good job, because it’s very close to the beach and the water.”

The playground replaces a 20-year old facility. It includes features — such as a walking area with access ramps for the disabled — that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, ensuring more kids can play in the area, town officials said in a release.

The end of the slides also features a rubberized surface engineered to comply with new ADA regulations. A cement walkway and benches were also added.

Rozell, 43, brought her daughter Grace, 5, to check out the new facility.

“I like that it has a lot of room to play,” Grace said, adding that the climbing wall was her favorite part.

SEE PHOTOSSandy's destruction

“I’m a really good climber,” Grace said.

The town paid for the playground out of its Parks improvement fund.

“This was a long time coming,” Supervisor Frank P. Petrone said. “May you use it well, may you enjoy it, and most important, may you be safe.”

Kathleen Diaz, of Huntington, hadn’t realized that the playground was open when she brought her children, Andrew, 5 and Leah, 2, on Monday afternoon.

“We just came on an adventure today,” Diaz said, adding that she had sought out a new beach to visit on the Town of Huntington website before selecting Hobart. “We saw it had a playground and that sealed the deal.”