Governor Kathy Hochul was joined by elected officials and leaders from several state agencies to celebrate the latest phase of completed improvements at Hempstead Lake State Park. Located in West Hempstead, Long Island, completed improvements include the creation of 4.75 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, along with a lakefront kayak launch and fishing pier.
The lushly wooded Hempstead Lake State Park spans 737 acres and includes 18 tennis courts, six pickleball courts, multiple playgrounds and flexible recreation areas, picnic pavilions, and a historic hand-carved wooden carousel.
Enhancements at Hempstead Lake State Park represent a $47 million resiliency project aimed at improving access to the park for all New Yorkers and enriching valuable public outdoor space.
Observation deck at Hempstead Lake State Park
Kayak launch at Hempstead Lake State Park
Fishing pier at Hempstead Lake State Park
Stone dust trail at Hempstead Lake State Park
The entire project is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
“These improvements will expand much-needed access to outdoor recreation for Long Island families, while making the community more resilient to future storms,” said Governor Hochul. “The ongoing transformation of Hempstead Lake State Park will help protect Hewlett Bay, reduce flood risk, provide visitors with enhanced recreational opportunities, and educate the next generation of Long Islanders about the environmental challenges facing the region.”
Since the project was announced in 2017, completed enhancements include a new ADA compliant fishing pier on Hempstead Lake, a 20-foot-tall observation tower, an elevated walkway that provides ADA access to the tower, an ADA-compliant kayak launch with a drop-off ramp, two raised crosswalks with solar flashing stop signs, new 10-foot-wide trails with stone dust optimized for equestrian riding, and new stairs and handrails surrounding parts of the lake.
Last September, the park also received the $8.3 million Environmental Education and Resiliency Center. With a focus on storm resiliency and environmental management, the 8,000-square-foot building offers year-round educational facilities, exhibition space, a deck overlooking Hempstead Lake, and will serve as an emergency coordination center during disaster response.
“Parks are one of our most vital environmental assets,” said Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery executive director Katie Brennan. “These improvements to Hempstead Lake State Park enhance resiliency, expand access to recreation, and strengthen the community’s social connections to nature and the watershed.”
Diagram illustrates sites of improvement for Hempstead Lake State Park – 1. Dams, Gatehouse and Bridges; 2. Northwest (NW) and Northeast (NE) Ponds; 3. Environmental Education and Resiliency Center; 4. Greenways, Gateways and Waterfront Access
The Hempstead Lake State Park improvement project is just one component of a $125 million initiative led by the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery to increase the resiliency of communities along Mill River and South Shore Long Island. Funding for this latest project includes a $35 million grant from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and $12 million in Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (State Parks) capital funds.
Forthcoming enhancements at the state park include improvements to the park’s Northern Ponds to mitigate flood risk on the Mill River and reduce pollution entering Hewlett Bay, a new public parking lot, repairs to the Northwest Pond dam, new drainage culverts, two new steel pedestrian bridges, additional systems to collect floating debris, replacement of invasive species with native plants and animals, and the creation of new wetlands and channels to filter stormwater from the nearby Southern State Parkway.
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How does this help and support the South Hempstead community near Southern State Park?