Destroyed By Blaze In May, Foster Avenue Park Playground Rebuild Moves Ahead In Hampton Bays

Last May, after a teenage vandal set a fire that transformed the equipment at the Foster Avenue Park in Hampton Bays from a playground for small children and a gathering place for local mothers to ashes, burnt rubber, and charred wood, Southampton Town officials vowed to rebuild.

On Tuesday, August 11, members of the Southampton Town Board made good on the promise, voting to pay the company Landscape Structures, Inc. $127, 772 for the purchase and installation of new playground equipment.

“The whole board is really happy to play a part in the rebuilding of the park,” Supervisor Jay Schneiderman said. “It was really a tragedy … to have that hit when we’re already in a pandemic when there couldn’t have been more bad news, there was bad news.”

Councilwoman Julie Lofstad was a founding member of the Hampton Bays Mothers Association, which raised the initial money to build the park some 17 years ago. She and the supervisor met when he was a county legislator and she visited him in his office, he recalled. “Begging for money,” she joked Tuesday. For money and support, Mr. Schneiderman continued, “and you got it done.”

It took “a lot of bake sales” to raise the money to build the park, the supervisor said.

“We could have told you to go back to the drawing board,” he said, “go out and raise the money again, but we made a commitment to put it back.”

It’s coming back “much better,” Councilman Rick Martel offered, citing upgraded and updated equipment planned.

“This will continue to be a toddler park with the playground structure being designed for 2- to 5-year-olds. Features include multiple climbing components, sensory equipment, and four slides. The park still also has swings and a teeter-totter.” Town Parks Director Kristin Doulos said via email Wednesday.

When firefighters arrived on the scene of the blaze on the afternoon of May 7, black smoke was billowing above the site, and the equipment was fully engulfed in flames. Rubberized plastic on the metal framed equipment and rubber safety matting made from recycled tires burned, releasing the acrid smoke. The fire was under control within 25 minutes and officials estimated the damage at $200,000.

Southampton Town Police arrested a 16-year old girl, charging her with second-degree criminal mischief, a felony, soon afterward. Details of arrests involving minors, and their identities, are not released to the public.

At the time, town officials believed insurance would cover the cost of rebuilding. This week they said it would not, but, Mr. Schneiderman said parks funds that were allocated for other projects that won’t take place this year can be used.

“This is a sad story,” Mr. Schneiderman said Tuesday, “but also a happy story of the community coming together.”

Speaking to Ms. Lofstad, he said, “You started out as an advocate for your community and became a councilwoman and basically played a critical role twice in this happening.”

“Well, me and the Hampton Bays Mothers Association and the fire department and all the businesses in Hampton Bays and the Town Board then and the Town Board now and all the kids that were 3 then and are 20 now,” Ms. Lofstad said.

Kerrie Wilkie was also a founding member of the mothers association. Speaking to The Press after the fire last spring, she said members raised between $60,000 and $80,000 to build the park, described as “a sandpit with some monkey bars,” before the association got to work.

When it was time for the equipment’s installation, there was “a barn raising,” Ms. Wilkie recalled. Some of the same firefighters who fought the blaze helped erect park structures.

“We’re just so happy the town acted so fast on something that is so important to so many people,” Ms. Wilkie said Wednesday.