In Suffolk County, the community of Smithtown is hoping to see incoming improvements in the next couple of years. Their hope, says Town Supervisor Edward Wehrheim, is that phase one “incrementally” addresses some standing projects that have been waiting a long time to get underway. 

Among many projects awaiting completion (or even just updating) include the local water manes, Flynn Memorial Park, the town’s senior center and animal shelter, and more. This comes on the back of efforts in recent years to fund and refurbish other park areas in the Suffolk area, including Nesconset’s Joseph Andreoli Park and Gaynor Park and Veterans Memorial Park in St. James, both of which just celebrated grand reopenings after over $1 million in funding. 

What Are the Main Details of the Budget?

The major buzz about this latest budget proposal centers mostly around its increase in comparison to previous years. Compared to last year, the city would be seeing a $4 million increase, and this is said to feed a number of municipal needs, including:

• At least $1.5 million in the operating fund tax levy is going toward absorbing spikes in health insurance costs for city employees.
• $4 million is split into two packages goes toward Flynn Memorial Park. 
• Another $2.4 million will fund water main replacement at St. James’ Lake Avenue. 
• The senior center in town, as well as the animal shelter and nearby properties at Jericho turnpike will receive about $850,000 in landscape and structure updates that should give the area have a more communal, “campus”-like feel. 

A vote on the funds is expected to come late November 2019, according to the most recent sources available.

Flynn Memorial Park’s Facelift

The updates to the Daniel J. Flynn Memorial Park come with a goal in mind, something reflecting its richer history in community development. Once a stop for the region’s top ball teams, it has fallen into more significant disrepair over the years, with no major changes made since its dedication in 1979. The plan is the restore this hub for sports fans to its former glory. 

Some immediate improvements developers have planned are:

• Regrading and resurfacing all four of the park’s fields;
• LED field lighting;
• New fencing and a new drainage system so that games can resume more quickly after rain;
• A hub building containing bathrooms and concessions stands on the ground floor; and
• A new playground in a central location will be erected to replace the one recently demolished.

What Will It Take to Complete These Projects?

Along with all the changes to take place in Flynn Memorial Park over the next two years, laborers will also have to contend with the water main installation and the exterior updates to the locations near Jericho Turnpike. Those that take on the upcoming projects will have several jobs to complete. 

• Landscaping appears to be one of the most notable projects coming up in most areas: whether it’s resurfacing ball fields, updating the scenery, or simply covering over any installations made underground, it will be present at virtually all sites in early and late stages of the projects.
• Building exteriors around the senior center and nearby sites, in keeping with a “campus” feel, will likely be resurfaced to reflect a similar aesthetic. Working with concrete and bricklaying is definitely likely to come up.
• The drainage and water main changes call for similar expertise—pipes and drainage will be installed, and this will call for excavating old systems in need of replacing and temporarily displacing anything that sits on top of it. 

Teams that can tackle all of these and more should be looking forward to another 1 to 2 years of steady work in the future.