My fellow Trustees and I strive each and every day to improve the quality of life for our residents and it’s always a pleasure to share with you the progress we are making to make this the best community to live in.
This summer, we noticed an uptick in concerns regarding teenagers on bicycles, not only in our Business District but throughout the village. Upon further research, The Village Board and I discovered that Massapequa Park was not alone in this problem, and that this has become an issue across many communities on Long Island.
The Village Board and I quickly engaged with our Village Staff, Code Enforcement, and partners at the Nassau County Police Department Seventh Precinct to address this issue. The Village ordinance prohibits riding, bicycles, skateboards, and similar motorized devices in the Village business district. Bicycles must be placed in bicycle racks so as not to obstruct pedestrian traffic. If you are riding your bike on the street or parking lots, you must adhere to the rules of the road and ride your bike as to not interfere with vehicular traffic. Violations of this code could be subject to an impound fee of $500.00 per bicycle, skateboard, or similar motorized devices. Additionally, we have added more bicycle racks in our downtown area, increased our code enforcement and have the support from NCPD who have increased their patrols throughout the entire Village, with the added understanding that they can and will be enforcing our bicycle ordinances. Residents should remind their children to be mindful of these ordinances and respect the right of way for pedestrians and patrons who visit our merchants and want to enjoy our Village.
Our road improvement program finished up for the winter and just as we have in previous years, we continued to deliver on our commitment to improve our roads, this year by paving roads well into the fall. The Village Board and I have also continued to focus on updates to Brady Park with the installation of new Playground equipment that will allow children of all ages to continue to enjoy all that Bady Park has to offer. Most recently, thanks to the donation from Sgt. Peter F. Colleran, Jr. VFW Post 7763 under the leadership of Commander Bill Gorman, the Village Board, and I were able to unveil a beautiful new plaque that was installed in Village Square dedicated to all who have served our Nation in every branch of service.
Brady Park is host to many of our Village events, with some of our most recent events that were held there this fall including: Irish Night sponsored by the Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 15 and the Halloween Parade and Costume Contest sponsored by Our Lady of the Island Council #6911 Knights of Columbus. On Halloween, we closed Park Blvd to provide a safe Trick or Treat environment for many families to enjoy. This event continues to grow in popularity. It’s a fun afternoon getting to see all the creative costumes and I appreciate the merchants and our community for making this event such a success.
As fall ends and we look forward to the Holidays— our Department of Public Works is busy sprucing up the Village for the Holiday Season. The Village Board and I are excited about our annual Christmas Tree and Menorah lighting which will be held on Saturday, November 25th at 5 p.m. at the corner of Park Boulevard and Front Street. This event is always one of the highlights for our Village as it showcases our wonderful community spirit. We will also be holding our traditional Holiday Open House on Sunday, December 3rd from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Talented students from our local schools will be providing musical entertainment for the whole family to enjoy.
The Village will again be participating in the annual Marines Toys for Tots Program. In the spirit of the holidays, please consider those who are less fortunate, especially children. Donations of new, unwrapped toys can be dropped off in the lobby of Village Hall until Tuesday, December 12th.
On behalf of the Village Board, our entire staff, and our families, we wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Happy New Year.
May God bless you, your family, and our Village.
Warmest regards,
Mayor Daniel Pearl