Kings Park Civic Meeting Notebook: Downtown Revitalization Projects Dominate Meeting

The subject of downtown revitalization dominated Tuesday evening’s meeting with talk of a possible restaurant week for Kings Park, music on Main Street and the extension of the Hike and Bike Trail.

Restaurant Week

The possibility of a restaurant week may be in the future for downtown Kings Park. Smithtown currently hosts the event, which kicks off this week. Main Street restaurants have created a buzz this year with the opening of three new hot spots; Mrs. Brown’s Kitchen, Plum Crazy Café and the critically acclaimed Red Café.  Civic President Sean Lehmann spoke of the increased pedestrian traffic this could bring to the downtown area which would help to stimulate the local economy.  Members said they would like to see it run the week of June 18 after Kings Park Day.

Patch will have more on this next week.

 Music on Main Street

 Shoppers on Main Street may be treated to some music this summer. The event would be similar to the Happenings on Main in Northport where local musicians would set up and play for one evening each week.  The event is still in the planning stages but the talk is to set it up for either Thursday or Saturday evenings in Russ Savatt Park on Main located next to Ralph’s Italian Ices.  

“It would be a casual type of thing,” said Dorothy Chanin, secretary for the association. “Local musicians with different kinds of music like bluegrass or Latin. People can come and go to the event.”

 Hike and Bike Trail

 The State Parks Department has received an easement from Suffolk County, which will allow for the continuation of the Hike and Bike Trail that is currently in Nissequogue River State Park. The trail will now be allowed to extend from the park to Main Street and to the Municipal Parking Lot.

“Unfortunately these things take a long time. It will possibly start this fall,” said Mike Rosato, 2nd vice president for the association.

The trail is being extended through the grant money received through Legis. Lynne Nowick. NRSP has also contributed $2,500 to the extension and the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce has contributed money to purchase signs and benches.

Santilli Sand Mines as Soccer Fields

Santilli Sand Mines on Old Northport Road is proposing building eight soccer fields on 15 acres of the 40 acre property. Rossato supports the proposal and would fill a need for recreational ball fields in the community.

A private developer had expressed interest in that property for an indoor recreational facility but appears to have backed off due to the economy. Plans for the fields were shown at the meeting, but Rosato says that this is very much in the preliminary stages and that the town of Smithtown has indicated that adjustments to the plan would need to be made, including the addition of bathrooms. “It is an interesting idea and I think it would be great for Kings Park,” said Rosato.