Officials eye Byrne Park expansion

The Town of Huntington will hold a public hearing next month on whether to pursue purchasing a plot of land to increase the size of William Byrne Park in East Northport.

The 0.83-acre property, at 250 Clay Pitts Rd,. currently holds a 1930s-era home that has been boarded up since a fire last year, said Joy Squires, chairwoman of the town’s open space committee.

The land would be used to increase the size of the 8.2-acre park, which is also known as Clay Pitts Park, and would include additional parking as well as bathroom facilities, which the heavily used park currently lacks, Squires said.

“If you can add to an existing well-used park, it’s really good for the town,” Squires said, adding that East Northport in particular needs more parkland.

“East Northport is an underserved area in terms of parks,” she said.

The public hearing will be held Feb. 6, at the next town board meeting.