Hampton Bays Residents Want Marine Park Cleaned-Up

A popular Hampton Bays fishing spot in Hampton Bays, known as Marine Park has seen better days. The site, according to residents is riddled with garbage and looks nothing like a park as its name suggests.

"There are plenty of other places I can go to if I want to walk in garbage," said Tom DeMartino, a 6-year resident of the area.

Not only is the site, which was once home to the original bridge to Dune Road, marked with trash and remnants of fishing gear, but it has laid in disrepair since Hurricane Sandy's winds wreaked havoc on the area nearly a year ago.

A retired engineer, who loves to fish, along with the local children, DeMartino said he has been on a mission to get the site cleaned-up, along with several of his neighbors, who he said have fished garbage out from the water and brought in their own garbage cans.

"I saw the devastation and it started to annoy me," said DeMartino, who said he reached out to Chris Bean, head of the Southampton Parks Department.

Bean, he said responded swiftly and within two weeks, the parks department installed a temporary, steal walkway that leads to a fishing pier.

"It is very stable and I have to thank the parks department," said DeMartino.

However, DeMartino said there is more to be done, especially when it comes to garbage, and his neighbors agree.

On Patch, residents had the following to say:

Stacey "I bring my children down to this fishing 'pier (??)' regularly. They love living out here and fishing near the "old bridge" where mom would take her bike as a kid. HOWEVER... the safety hazards and condition of that "fishing spot" are deplorable. It is only a short matter of time before someone gets hurt. Both of my minor children sent separate letter to our Town Supervisor to no avail.... not even a response.... nothing... The garbage alone is disgusting... I have personally seen dead seagulls (they were there all summer.... and I mean ALL summer!!), dirty diapers, (in that heat??? that's fun!) and not to mention whatever is constantly overflowing in the the never ending un-emptied garbage cans and blowing into our waters killing those fish my kids want to catch."

Tracy Tanner Bocchi "I totally agree. I've brought my kids down there to fish and it is so dangerous. It's an accident waiting to happen. I can't believe the town has let it get so bad since so many people fish from there."

Andy: "It's an absolute disgrace that the town officials have let this great treasure become so run down, it's outright dangerous to take your family down to visit the old bridge. It's an accident waiting to happen and it's a shame. Garbage overflows the cans which have been placed there by citizens of the community, I have witnessed garbage blowing into the water. I have personally reached into the water to fetch some of it out. I have also witnessed our 'parks dept' workers cleaning out the garbage cans."

Bean, when reached by Patch, said park department does have plans to spruce up the area, but can't do much until it receives funding that it requested from FEMA after Hurricane Sandy.

"We put a little path out there, but we are not finished. We are waiting for the okay for FEMA money," said Bean.

Once he has the funds in his hands, Bean said the parks department will look to tear up the old roadway and replace the entire fishing pier.

The problem, Bean said, is that not all the damage at the site was from Hurricane Sandy, explaining that it was an old bridge to begin with.

Bean said he expects the project will cost about $1 million with FEMA funding 90 percent and the town 10 percent.

Patch wants to know: How would you like to see the Marine Park improved? Comment below.