Downtown ‘comfort station’ reopens at Grangebel Park

Visitors to downtown Riverhead can take comfort in knowing that when nature calls, Riverhead Town provides relief.

The long-shuttered “comfort station” on West Main Street, just north of Grangebel Park is renovated and reopened and town officials, together with the town workers who renovated the facility, welcomed Suffolk County Legisator Ed Romaine today for the ceremonial “first flush.”

The project was made possible by a Suffolk County Downtown Revitalization Grant, and Riverhead BID president Ray Pickersgill, who is a member of the county’s downtown revitalization advisory committee, was also on hand for the opening ceremony.

The renovation project went out to bid but the low bid was significantly more that the $66,000 grant, so the town decided to complete the job “in house,” utilizing the skills of the buildings and grounds department, headed up by Guy Cawley.

“They did this for about $35,000,” Supervisor Sean Walter said. The extra funds will be used for walkways which will soon lead to a new children’s playground adjacent to the River and Roots Community Garden, Walter said.

“This is part of our effort to revitalize downtown Riverhead block by block, store by store,” Walter said. “And it’s working.”

Walter thanked the following Riverhead Town employees for the renovation project:

Buildings & Grounds
Guy Cawley
Gary Hubbard
Steve McKay
Dave Zebrowski
Scott Sulzer
Bobby Hubbard
Henry Niedzweicki
Ziggy Rachubka
Ezra Fife
Gregory Polak

Seasonal Employees
Howie Bowe
Paul Bauerfeind
Kevin Curtis

Electrical Divison
Mike Commins
James Smith
Bill Merker
Dennis Krupski

Engineering
Ken Testa
Drew Dillingham