Greenlawn, NY – On February 8th at the Harborfields Public Library, Legislator Stephanie Bontempi (R-18th LD) joined with representatives from Suffolk County Parks and the Suffolk County Department of Public Works to set the record straight on the preservation and restoration of Coindre Hall Park. The meeting room quickly filled to capacity with residents eager to learn about the historic park and to hear from the actual people who deal with its day-to-day work.
This “Coindre Hall Informational Meeting” was deemed necessary due to the constant barrage of misinformation originating from a small, but vocal group of activists. These activists have been a constant presence at Coindre Hall Advisory Board (CHAB) meetings, Suffolk County legislative meetings and Suffolk County parks trustee meetings, where they have regurgitated their unfounded assertions. Over the last year or so, countless Suffolk County elected officials and other employees have attempted to work with the activists and to provide factual answers to their inquiries, but all such efforts were in vain.
“It is great when residents take on an issue important to them, but spreading misinformation just for attention or notoriety is not fair to the greater public,” said Bontempi. “The spreading of outright lies about Coindre Hall’s restoration process or about the good people serving without compensation on the CHAB was simply getting out of control. Residents who had a real interest in the historic park were getting upset and confused with the misinformation overload on social and print media – we owed them this forum.”
The meeting’s presentation included an overview of the park’s general history and eventually touched on the restoration process and the potential plans for future uses. Potential uses include, but are not limited to, a law enforcement presence, space for educational programs and rowing equipment, not the rumored casino, yacht club and tourism port. The final portion of the evening included a review of the questions submitted by those in attendance.
“This informational meeting was a great example of how government can be brought right to the people,” added Bontempi. “Perhaps more issues should be addressed via in-person interactive events, as relying exclusively on secondary sources has significant drawbacks at times. The public now knows what the true story is concerning Coindre Hall, and I encourage the dialogue to continue based on the facts presented.”
One may find it helpful to visit the CHAB’s webpage – https://www.scnylegislature.us/1187/Coindre-Hall-Advisory-Board – to learn about its activities and the latest updates regarding the restoration work at Coindre Hall.