Letters

Last year, when the pandemic began its assault on our nation, many workout patterns of older citizens changed dramatically. Locally, the Y closed, and the East Hampton School District forbade our use of the track at the high school. Those of us who walked, jogged or biked were shut down, except for a few unsafe choices: We could use the nature trails, with rocks and tree roots exposed, or we could walk or run on roads like Long Lane, with speeding cars and unfocused drivers. Other roads are too narrow or don’t have safe shoulders.

In my frustration, I called the Town Board during one of its virtual meetings. Someone suggested that I should try the park on Stephen Hands Path. Even though I live within three miles, I was unaware of its existence.

As you enter the park, you can see the abandoned school on the right and soccer fields on your left. The town wisely transformed the school into a vaccination center that has provided local folks the opportunity to be vaccinated without traveling long distances.

Since then, I have been the park’s most loyal customer. I walk about three miles each morning and return in the afternoon to walk one mile with my youngest son.

There are two suggestions that I am recommending to the Town Board to improve the value of the park to the community. The first is to make the park beautiful. Too often, it is littered with hundreds of plastic bottles, broken glass, cigarette butts, discarded face masks and various other debris. I have worked with Tony Littman from the Parks Department during the last month. He has removed the biggest pieces of junk and many of the smaller pieces of garbage.

The second item has to do with the resurfacing of the walkway, which is in dire need of repair. As one of those seniors who use the park frequently, I am willing to oversee the continued maintenance of the cleanup. I invite the Town Board to provide support for this effort and to make plans for the paving that needs to be done.

If you want to join me on a weekly basis, I can be reached at 631-766-6656 or at gaman13927@aol.com.

George Aman, Ph.D

East Hampton