Former Bayview Hospital site to become park

Two acres of land off Bayview Drive in Mastic Beach will be converted into a public park, according to Brookhaven Town Councilman Daniel Panico.

The land, just south of the intersection of Neighborhood and Mastic roads, is the site of the former Bayview Hospital. The site’s conversion into Bayview Park will start in a few weeks, an aide to Panico said.

The site will be a “serene passive park” that eventually will include a kayak launch, Panico said. The land abuts a creek that feeds into Narrow Bay.

The work will be funded by a $5,000 grant and $5,000 in materials from Scotts Miracle-Gro. The company has slated the new park as part of its effort to create 1,000 green spaces and gardens by 2018.

“This is a wonderful victory for the residents of Mastic Beach,” Panico said, adding that community residents soon “will work shoulder-to-shoulder during a weekend plant-in” at the site.

Most of the work to create the park will be done by town employees, Panico said.