Suffolk County beaches, including fire-damaged Cupsogue, to open Saturday

Cupsogue Beach facilities will open Saturday with a rebuilt boardwalk, temporary bathrooms and food concessions, eight months after a fire destroyed the 40-year old pavilion, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced Thursday.

"After a long cold hard winter, Suffolk County beaches will be open for business, including Cupsogue," Bellone said at the Westhampton Beach facility where he announced the opening of all Suffolk County beaches this weekend.

The temporary kitchen at Cupsogue will provide the full menu that was available before the fire, said Fred Marsilio, owner of concessionaire Beach Hut.

Legis. Jay Schneiderman (I-Montauk) took a tour of Cupsogue after the fire in September, which destroyed the pavilion. "You couldn't stand on the deck, it was still smoldering. It seemed an impossible task, to turn this around," Schneiderman said.

The Suffolk County Legislature agreed to spend $450,000 on temporary facilities for the beach, which will be in place for two years. After that Bellone said the bathrooms and kitchen in a trailer could be moved to other county parks or used in emergencies.

The county also has allotted $300,000 to design and plan a permanent building, which is expected to cost about $3 million.

The cause of the fire has not been determined, Suffolk County police said.

"At this point it does not appear criminal, but an exact cause has not been determined and the investigation is continuing," a police spokeswoman said Thursday.

By David M. Schwartz

dschwar1@newsday.comschwartznewsNY

David Schwartz covers environmental issues. A native Long Islander, he's worked at Newsday since 2013.