North Hempstead Town moves to allow creation of play area

The North Hempstead Town Board voted Tuesday to enter into an agreement with the North Hempstead Housing Authority — taking the first steps toward the ultimate creation of recreational and open space next to housing authority property in Port Washington.

Under the plan, the housing authority will create a play area and retain a natural, wooded area on 1.5 acres it owns next to Harbor Homes, improving the property with $250,000 the town would provide and allowing all town residents access to the space.

In return, the town would give the housing authority the shuttered Grand Street School property in New Cassel, while allowing for recreational space on the property to be open to town residents. The town will use parking space on the property for its Yes We Can community center nearby.

Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman said the town would try to obtain a grant to fund the demolition of the school building.