RVC Recovers From Storm; Residents Shovel Their Way Out

While most of Rockville Centre remained buried under the near two feet of snow that fell on Sunday, some residents made the best of the wintry conditions by heading to the Lakeside Drive footbridge by Hempstead Lake State Park to enjoy a chilly afternoon of sledding.

Rockville Centre's main roads were plowed (Sunrise Highway, Merrick Road, Lincoln, North Village and Hempstead avenues) as of 3 p.m. on Monday, but side streets and some municipal lots remained blanketed in snow.

Residents cleared their properties with shovels, snow blowers and rock salt throughout the day, and owner of Rockville Hardware on Merrick Road, Dave McDonald, said he kept his store opened yesterday, even though he's usually closed on Sunday.

"We sold a couple hundred shovels on Sunday, and I don't know how much ice melt," McDonald said. "Today was a little quieter. I think a lot of people came yesterday in anticipation of the storm."

According to Mayor Mary Bossart, Monday's trash collection will be suspended until Wednesday due to the storm, but Tuesday's garbage pick up will remain on schedule. She explained that for residents who are concerned about when their block will be plowed, it takes about six hours for the dozen Department of Public Works vehicles to finish one clearing cycle through the village. Rockville Centre will also use outside contractors to clear municipal parking lots, she said, and if you live on a county road that needs to be plowed, contact Nassau County at 1-888-684-4274.

If your car is stuck in a snow drift, Bossart noted that village vehicles are instructed to plow around them, though they can't be used to extricate personal vehicles. Village officials also urge residents to avoid parking on the streets, so they've suspended overnight parking permits in village lots. Residents can park in Municipal Parking Field No. 12 until the roads are cleared.

For more information, head to www.rvcny.us.