Plan for Coral Park in Huntington advances

A new park in Huntington Town that has been discussed for years, splitting the community, finally seems to be moving ahead. A new artist's rendering for Coral Park has been created and a community meeting with town officials to talk about the park, proposed for a strip of land along Broadway Greenlawn Road, is set for Wednesday.

And if the town's Environmental Open Space and Park Fund Review Advisory Committee at its May 8 meeting approves additional funding to build the park, town board member Susan Berland said she will sponsor a resolution to accept the recommendation and use the money to build the park.

"It's a park that has been in the making for years," she said. "Representatives of the community approached me and said they have been trying to get this park built for 10 years and I want to help them."

Residents who live in a newer development near the park site say they don't need another park in the area. But longtime residents in an older neighborhood closest to where Coral Park would be say they have waited long enough.

"I'm glad they are finally moving ahead," Sheila Harris said. "We've been waiting patiently."

Last week, Berland and board colleague Gene Cook, who said he would second her motion to fund the park, hosted a meeting where plans were displayed.

The park would include a basketball court, playground, open playing field, bicycle racks and a comfort station.

The town's environmental advisory committee appropriated $300,000 for Coral Park in the late 1990s, but the project stalled. The committee would have to appropriate an additional $400,000 to build the park, Berland said.

Donna Ebinger, who lives in the newer development, said she has concerns about noise and teens loitering after the park closes at dusk. Town officials said they would plant large noise-filtering trees. The park would not be lighted.

"The plans look nice," Ebinger said. "It'll be a nice place for the little ones to go."

Wednesday's meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Harborfields Public Library at 31 Broadway in Greenlawn.