New Ball Field Erected at Former Roller Rink Site

One of Mayor Fran Murray's campaign promises was to revitalize the village's athletic fields which have fallen into disrepair over the last decade.

Murray came through on that promise by not only with to upgrade four existing athletic fields with synthetic turf, but by building a new baseball/softball field next to Hickey Field. The new field is being built at the old roller rink on Sunrise Highway.

"We are going from worst to first in our ball fields," Murray said. "This is wonderful for our children."

The field, which will have its fences 175 feet from home plate, will be used for 12-and-under softball and baseball, Murray said. He noted that the Department of Public Works is now in charge of the Parks Department, which he said has the manpower and machinery to upkeep village fields. The construction of the field was done by village employees, he added, and the village is currently working on sponsors for the field.

"We haven’t gotten to how exactly we’re going to do it," Murray said of sponsorship for the new field. "We have to control it here. We can’t have different color and size signs everywhere, so we have to come up with a way to make sure it’s all one type."

The mayor explained that the upgrade to four village fields, along with the addition of the ball field next to Hickey Field, will help attract young families to the village as well as help home values.

"We have great places to worship, a vibrant downtown, great private and public schools," Murray said. "What we were lacking and losing market share on was our ball fields. Young people have families and they are looking at all these aspects. We’re in competition with Manhasset, Garden City and Port Washington, and we’re losing market share to these people because the real estate agents are telling me so. Now we have the last piece of the puzzle. We’re going to have the best fields in Nassau County."

Though some of the village's fields are rented out to outside leagues, Murray said he'd like to keep this field for the young kids in the village.

It will be completed by May 1.