Inwood Civic Alarmed About Possible Sale of Field

A potential sale of an open lot at Bayswater Boulevard and Peppe Drive in Inwood may leave the community's children with one less place to play and another slice of suburbia gone for good, said members of the .

Last week, residents in the vicinity received letters informing them that the is interested in purchasing the open lot, a disclosure that was not taken lightly, members said at the group's meeting on Thursday. The property in question is a favorite with local children who have traditionally used the space as a ball field and park. Those in attendance said they felt the Inwood Country Club is already big enough and doesn’t need the additional land.

“I’ve lived directly across the street and there are always kids playing there," said Patty Vacchio, the association's secretary. "I’m not bothered by these kids. I’ve been here 27 years.”

She added, on how she heard about the sale, “I don’t like the shadiness of it. They don’t give you a lot of time to protest anything.”

Although not strictly a park according to zoning records, some residents said the lot did resemble one many years ago and called it Bayswater Park.

“There were swings and a see-saw when I moved in," said Inwood Civic Association Chairman Tony LaFerrara. "About 40 years ago we were told we would get a park. We never got one.”

Association member Hezzie Cibere added, “I heard it’s not a park. It’s a piece of land and nothing else.”

Another member, Roy Meserole noted, “If they do sell it, I hope they’ll leave room for the kids.”

A public meeting about the issue is set for tonight at 7 p.m. at the Five Towns Community Center.

Civic members also expressed uneasiness about the recent increase of helicopter traffic in the region. Communities around Nassau County have experienced additional congestion overhead and they want that overcrowding curtailed, they said.

Members said they feel Inwood already has enough to deal with from the at nearby Kennedy Airport. If helicopter traffic is altered, new flight plans may be routed over Inwood due to its proximity to the airport, they said.

“We hear the noise before anybody,” said Cibere, who also sits on the board of the Town-Village Aircraft Safety and Noise Abatement Committee. “At the last meeting, I was concerned that Floral Park had complaints about the helicopters and that they might want them flying over the Inwood area instead. We already have enough.”

The TVASNAC will meet at Lawrence Village Hall on April 25 at 7:30 p.m.