Southampton Town Board Supportive Of Aquatic Center Proposal For Hampton Bays

Southampton Town Board members appear to be supportive of an ambitious plan for a $25 million aquatic center with three swimming pools in Hampton Bays—though they expressed some reservations about how the nonprofit behind the project would come up with the money.

Dr. Josephine DeVincenzi, vice president of the nonprofit Southampton Town Aquatics and Recreation Inc., attended the Town Board work session last Thursday, February 1, to ask that 2 acres in Red Creek Park in Hampton Bays be set aside for a 43,000-square-foot aquatic center.

She said the nonprofit envisions the center having three pools: an Olympic-sized swimming pool for athletes to train, a small pool for children to play in, and a warm water pool for aqua therapy and for people to use for exercise and for taking swimming lessons.

The pools also likely would be open for use by local school districts and for lifeguard and scuba diving training.

Ms. DeVincenzi said STAR is not looking for the town to fund the project—only for the donation of the 2 acres of land for the building and parking in Red Creek Park. The park, on Old Riverhead Road, is the perfect location for the aquatic center because of its central location in town and its proximity to Sunrise Highway, she said.

Evan Eleff, executive vice president of Sports Facilities Advisory, the company hired to manage the center, added that approximately 30 percent of the town is within a 15-minute driving distance of Red Creek Park, making it an ideal location for the center.

Before moving forward, Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman asked that Ms. DeVincenzi bring in specific diagrams showing where in Red Creek Park the building and parking would be. After that, Mr. Schneiderman suggested holding a community meeting in Hampton Bays to see if hamlet residents would like an aquatic center in their community.

If the community appears to be on board, Mr. Schneiderman said, he would support a resolution that reserves land for the aquatic center—though he would likely impose a time limit. “We can’t hold a piece forever,” he said, adding that the nonprofit should have a time limit—perhaps three years—to come up with the money.

He also noted that there should be a stipulation where the nonprofit has to prove that it is moving forward in good faith to raise the $25 million needed to build and operate the center throughout the course of the three years. “Twenty-five million dollars is a lot to raise,” Mr. Schneiderman said. “I don’t think you are going to be able to raise it in a year.”

Ms. DeVincenzi agreed to Mr. Schneiderman’s stipulations during the work session and said she is confident her team will be able to raise the money in time. “We’re ready to gear up,” she said.

Ms. DeVincenzi did not share any specifics about how the nonprofit, which was started in 1997 by Jean Hazelton, a Southampton attorney, would be fundraising, noting that she wanted to secure the land before soliciting money from donors.

The Town Board appeared to agree that more information was needed to make a decision—though the five-member board all seemed to be intrigued by the proposal.

“I think it’s a great idea—I support it in concept,” said Councilman John Bouvier. “The devil is in the details.”

Specifically, Mr. Bouvier asked the applicant to provide information about the septic system it plans to use, noting that an aquatic center has to filter a significant amount of water daily.

Councilwoman Christine Scalera, who also said she liked the idea for the project, stressed that the town should see what the Hampton Bays community thinks about it. She also noted that a traffic study should be done, since Old Riverhead Road isn’t currently a high-traffic road.

Some town residents already appear to be on board with the proposal.

Ric Stott, an architect in Southampton Village, who pushed for other aquatic initiatives in the past, said he is excited about the prospect of the aquatic center. “This is one of the most important developments to happen,” he said.