County Executive Levy Holds Press Conference to
Back Motorsports
by Walter
Johnston
This afternoon in
Hauppauge, NY, against a backdrop of all types of racing and recreational
vehicles, Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy held a press conference to
express his thoughts about the building of a motorsports facility on
available land in Calverton NY. He touched on the idea that there are many
motorsports enthusiasts on Long Island, and there is a need, recognized by
his administration, for a place to be built for all types of safe and
regulated facilities to meet this need. He highlighted the fact that there
are over 35,000 registered ATV’s in the county, and that Suffolk County is
the leading county in motorsports equipment sales. He also pointed out that
the lack of facilities to enjoy all these types of recreation is a problem,
and that the Town of Riverhead, with the Calverton land, has the opportunity
to allow a facility to be built on the over 1500 acres in the former Grumman
property. “We should encourage the safe, legal use of this environment at
Calverton to have a place for all who enjoy this type of recreation,” Levy
said.
He spoke about the
fact that it provides one of the last, best opportunities to build a
facility such as this on land that provides a buffer from residential areas,
which has been a problem with other proposals, including the original plan
submitted for Yaphank. The Yaphank property, because it would have included
housing, would only have been able to support an indoor ATV facility, with
no race track, no drag strip, etc., because of the proximity to existing
housing and proposed new units that would be built there.
He went on to say
that the Suffolk County Planning Board would do all it can to help the Town
of Riverhead and whoever the winning bidder is for the 750 acres of property
at Calverton to encourage the building of motorsports facilities of all
kinds to give Long Islanders a place to enjoy this recreational activity
without what is now a trip out of state, or to upstate NY, to be able to
spend this time with their families enjoying motorsports.
These conclusions
came in part from a report by a county task force that was formed to study
ATV use. Their conclusion was that facility is not only needed for ATV’s but
also other forms of motorsports, as they recognize that without a drag
strip, motocross facility, ATV park or new, modern race track, the many Long
Islanders who enjoy these activities would be deprived of a place to enjoy
motorsports. While not endorsing any specific bidder on the land use
proposals, he made it very clear that at the County level of Government,
they would like to see a motorsports facility built somewhere on the
Calverton Property.
This event was
covered by News 12 and Channel 55 News. Kenny Hyde, who brought his #58
Riverhead Figure-8 car for display, along with the #00 of Tom Graff, was
interviewed for the News 12 coverage, and Greg Kleila also brought his #72
Late Model for display. All were positioned prominently around the podium
that Mr. Levy made his remarks from. A big thanks to all the teams that
showed up for the event.
Now it is up to us
in the racing community, especially those who are actual residents and
taxpayers in Riverhead Town to write letters to the town board. Riverhead
Councilman Ed Densieski, who attended the press conference as a spectator,
remarked afterwards that the best thing was to write a letter, send it to
the Riverhead Town Clerk’s office, with a request to forward the letter to
the Town Council in general, which will help it to become part of the public
record for this all important vote on the ultimate use of the Calverton
property. Others from outside of Riverhead Town may want to let their
Suffolk county reps know how they feel about it, to help keep it on their
minds as well, so they’ll exert whatever influence they can on their fellow
representatives. This will not only help racing people, but all the people
of Suffolk when it adds to the economy of the town and county, so it will
benefit us all in the long run.
Source: Walter
Johnston/LongIslandJam.com
Posted:
August 29, 2007
