Lindy Docks Opening to Public This Weekend

The Charles J. Cowan Marina (Lindy Docks) have been closed since Hurricane Sandy ripped away the older portions on the East side in October.

Opening This Weekend
But almost five months after the superstorm the Village of Lindenhurst the announced it's opening of the Docks this weekend to the public at the Board meeting on Tuesday night.

"Boats won't be able to go down, but we'll be opening the Marina to walking, fishing and crabbing," said Mayor Tom Brennan.

"We're trying to make arrangements for those people who usually dock their boats there," Village Administrator Shawn Cullinane said.

"And there'll be limited amount of parking," added Deputy Mayor Kevin McCaffrey.

"Residents will also be able to drive around the entire Docks and walk around," said Cullinane.

They just won't be able to access the East side where the boards were ripped away, and there's a small section on the West side right next to Chateau La Mer that needs to be replaced again, too.

"They'll actually have more access to the Docks than before Sandy when the Docks were closed to repair the West and South sides after Hurricane Irene the year before," he said.

"This'll be the first time it's been opened to the public. When the initial repairs were completed we wanted to have a ribbon-cutting ceremony, but they were done a few days before Sandy, and then they've been closed since then."

Sandy Repairs
The Docks took a beating during Sandy, but the newer portions installed as a result of Irene in August 2011 held up well, according to Cullinane.

He didn't have hard numbers on how much the Sandy-related repairs to the Docks would cost as it still needs to be bid out, but he said it'll be the single largest Sandy-related cost the Village will have.

"There's electric and plumbing that need to be repaired on the East side where the Docks were damaged," he said.

The dockmaster building also sustained some roof damage that's already been repaired, but with the electric and plumbing being knocked out for so long, he wasn't sure how the building would hold up, or if it needs to be looked at again.

That's also the side where the Lindenhurst Fire Department usually has the boats it uses for fire and rescue.

"They have a floating dock, so if we can get a gate for them, then we'd like to work something out where we can their boats into water. That's a valuable asset to have back in service there," he said.

Sandy Debris Removal
Cullinane also said the Village has done more than $1.3 million in debris removal, and between costs from labor overtime and storm-related costs incurred by the LFD, the Village will be seeking to recover more than $2 million in FEMA reimbursements as a result of the superstorm.

In fact, at the meeting, the Board approved a partial payment ($1,850) to Harvey Bienstock, P.E., LLC in Holbrook for engineering design services for the Sandy-related repairs to the Docks.

And as the Board approved payments to All Island Plumbing ($22,500) and One World recycling ($2,172.30) for Sandy-related debris removal, it also announced the Village finally received its first FEMA payment.

"We received a transfer of $825,000," said Cullinane, noting the Village is waiting on more FEMA money and continues to file for reimbursement from the federal agency.

"It's a great start," noted the mayor.

"We can pay some bills," added McCaffrey.

Road Raising
In addition to the repairs to the Docks, Cullinane told Lindenhurst Patch in February the Village is also eyeing a road-raising project for the end of South Wellwood Avenue.

"It would cover from the Docks up to Spring Street," he said.

This would be paid - in part, if not all - by funding that was secured last Fall by NYS Assemblyman Bob Sweeney, (D, Lindenhurst), through the State’s Community Capital Assistance Program.

At the time the funding number was $200,000, but Cullinane told Patch on Tuesday it $400,000.

"Depending on the bids we may be able to pay for it all with that or may be able to partner it with some other funds for the cost," he said.

Take a look through the Lindy Lens at the photos of the progression of the Docks from the repairs caused by Hurricane Irene in August 2011 and the damage done by Hurricane Sandy last October to this Wednesday on the first day of Spring.

Related Coverage:

• After Sandy - Long Island Recovers
• Hurricane Sandy Long Island
• Lindy Docks Now Open during the Day
• Village Still Working to Open Lindy Docks
• Lindy Docks Opening to Public This Weekend
• Blog: Raising Homes in Sandy-Damaged Areas of LI
• Do Lindy Residents Think the Fire Island Breach Should be Closed?
• Watch: Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer on Recent Flooding
• Bellone: 'We Want That Breach to Be Closed Now'
• Post-Storm Flooding Plagues S. Lindenhurst
• Village Eyes More Roadwork in Spring
• State Helps Fund Lindy Road Projects
• Photos: Sandy Rips Away Older Portion of Lindy Docks
• Photos: Devastation South of Shore Rd. in Lindenhurst
• Photos: Sandy Slams Lindenhurst
• Lindenhurst Village Concerned about Sandy's Potential Flooding 
• Lindenhurst Village Eyes Hurricane Sandy 
• Repairs to Lindy Docks Are Complete
• One Year after Irene Lindy Docks Close to Completion
• Remembering Irene One Year Later

Connect: Facebook | Twitter | Newsletters | Blogging | Posting Photos | Announcements | Events