Northport Park Petition Gets 1,000 Signatures

By Niall Fitzgerald

A Petition by Northport residents to halt the planned expansion of a basketball court in downtown Cow Harbor Park - and to stop the cutting of several old-growth shade trees - has now garnered over 1,000 signatures.

"I am a resident of the beautiful village of Northport, where Cow Harbor Park is an integral part of our community," stated Kevin Kavanagh. "The plan to expand a basketball court threatens to disrupt this, and has morphed into an expansion that will cut down trees and replace grass with concrete."

"This plan will change the face of our beloved park forever. While we understand and appreciate the need for recreational spaces like basketball courts within communities, there are numerous other locations within Northport that would be more suitable for such developments." added Kavanagh. "We urge Huntington's local authorities to reconsider this decision and explore alternative sites for expanding athletic facilities without compromising Cow Harbor Park's unique character."

Northport residents object to the expansion of the basketball courts, which would pave over existing grassy lawns, and the cutting of several mature trees that provide shade to residents sitting or picnicking in the park.

"No tree cutting. No Concrete." stated Rona Fried. "Leave it the way it is."

"I support the original plan of doing a basic refurbishment to the existing children's basketball court which would have kept the court to its existing size and was to preserve the surrounding area including the trees and little rolling hills that make that part of the park so special," added Loraine Erickson. "Let’s stick to the original plan. Northport already has several large sized baseball courts as do our neighboring communities within the Town of Huntington."

The Village has approved the project, however it remains a controversial item on the agenda of the Northport Village Board. The Petition to halt the changes can be found on Change.org.