The Riverside Maritime Trail Park got a $50,000 boost from the State of New York today.
The Flanders, Riverside and Northampton Community Association was awarded a $50,000 community impact grant from the State Department of Environmental Conservation, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced this afternoon.
FRNCA is one of 28 organizations statewide to win an environmental justice funding community impact grant. Environmental justice funding of $2.6 million will be distributed to support areas disproportionately impacted by pollution and toxins, according to a press release issued by the governor’s office.
The 28 organizations receiving funding in this latest round of funding — the program began in 2006 — will enhance and clean up vacant lots, create organic urban farms, improve local waterways, expand environmental education and engage young people with green jobs, address soil health, and build awareness and support for community-owned solar.
FRNCA will use the funding for the next phase of the design of the Riverside Maritime Trail Park, the drawing of construction plans. The community group has developed concept plans for the park, a 14-acre riverfront parcel purchased by the county in 2011. The organization received other grant funding from the DEC to develop the concept plans. The Town of Southampton contributed $14,000 toward the design cost and will also pay for the construction and maintenance of the park.
Design plans call for two trails that would bisect the park, a floating kayak launch, a fishing platform, a river overlook, a comfort station, multigenerational spaces and other features, as depicted on a preliminary plan drawn by landscape architects Araiys Design.
Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman said the town will have to seek grant funding to pay for the construction, which will likely need to be done in phases for budgetary reasons.
“I’d like to get some parking and connection to the waterfront done in a reasonable time frame,” Schneiderman said at a Nov. 15 town board work session.
He said he guessed that the cost to build everything envisioned in the plan developed by the landscape architects with extensive community input would be in the $2 million range.
Editor’s note: The article has been amended to correct an editing error that deleted the end of the last sentence.
The survival of local journalism depends on your support.
We are a small family-owned operation. You rely on us to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Just a few dollars can help us continue to bring this important service to our community.
Support RiverheadLOCAL today.
