Village of Flower Hill adds basketball court at park

A new basketball court has opened at the Village of Flower Hill Park and is available to all Nassau County residents, village officials said.

The blacktop court on the 6.3-acre park on Stonytown Road cost $180,000. The project received $50,000 in state funding and the remaining $130,000 came from revenue derived from construction permits. Charles Vachris, the village engineer, donated his firm's services, officials said, and Ann Frankel, the village's arborist, donated landscaping services.

"It was a way for us to take the dollars that were coming in and give back to the community," Mayor Elaine Phillips said.

The village has about 4,700 residents and straddles Roslyn, Port Washington and Manhasset.

Phillips said that since its opening a few weeks ago, area residents have used the park. Officials would like to eventually add a handball court, new walking paths, picnic tables and benches, along with new landscaping.

The $50,000 in funding is from the State Municipal Funding Program and was secured by state Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola).

The park, which was previously in the control of Nassau County, has a new performance stage, landscaping and a playground.

"They turned it into a lovely little gem," Phillips said.

A rise in construction in the village accounted for the village's portion of the funding, officials said.

"Based on the amount of usage we've seen to date, there was a strong demand for a basketball court, for people of all ages," Phillips said. "We'd like to keep it exactly the way it is, a wonderful little oasis for residents of the Port Washington peninsula."