Officials Cut Ribbon For New Center Moriches Recreation Center

CENTER MORICHES, NY — After years of dreams and hard work, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine, Councilman Dan Panico and Suffolk County Clerk Judith Pascale were joined Thursday by community leaders, Center Moriches School District officials, members of the Knights of Columbus, residents and local students to cut the ribbon at the new Moriches Bay Recreation Center.

Located at 313 Frowein Road in Center Moriches, the facility, once home to the Knights of Columbus, is the first recreation center to open in the Town in more than 20 years and is the only recreation center to open in southeastern Brookhaven.

The Moriches Bay Recreation Center will service the hamlets of Moriches, Center Moriches, East Moriches, Eastport and Manorville, and will serve as home to the local nonprofit organization the Moriches Community Center, town officials said.

The Moriches Community Center will provide a variety of youth services including peer counseling and tutoring programs. In addition, the town will operate a senior nutrition program at the center, which will also serve as home to local senior citizens clubs and will be available to the general public, officials said.

“There is no shortage of people to thank for the effort and work that went into making the Town of Brookhaven’s Moriches Bay Recreation Center a reality. So many people have done so much, but a special thank you goes to our parks crews, under the direction of Parks Commissioner Ed Morris," Panico said. "We are blessed with caring and hardworking employees throughout the town, and the men and women who worked on this building are a great example.”

Romaine spoke about the journey to make vision a reality. “The new Moriches Bay Recreation Center is the culmination of many years of planning that started with a dream of the late Anthony Parlato, a man who dedicated his life to helping others, especially the children in the community. I thank Councilman Dan Panico, Parks Commissioner Ed Morris, the Knights of Columbus and everyone else who helped make this beautiful facility a reality for the residents of Brookhaven Town.”

The Moriches Bay Recreation Center is expected to be open and operational in the New Year.

Patch photo courtesy Brookhaven Town.