The Beach Bar in New Rochelle is A Labor of Love

The Queen City of the Sound is shining in all its glory at the new Beach Bar in Hudson Park. Best of all, anyone can park in the city’s parking lot free of charge after 6 p.m. and walk into the recently constructed Tiki bar area for food and drinks. Before 6 p.m. the City’s Omnicard can be used to gain entry to the beach and bar.
On Thursday August 11, a band played, entertaining the crown that had gathered for the ribbon cutting by Mayor Noam Bramson and James Carello. Among the dignitaries attending were Council member Marianne Sussman, Councilman Lou Trangucci, Councilman Richard St. Paul, City Clerk Bennie Giles, City Manager, Chuck Strome, Parks and Recreation Commissioner, Bill Zimmerman, and newly appointed Fire Chief, Lou Dimeglio. Loud applause greeted the ribbon cutting by Bramson and Carello.
Mayor Bramson thanked the entire team and praised the extraordinary accomplishment creating this Beach Bar. He commented that as he traveled around he could not remember getting such a wonder reception and urged that everyone “rediscover Hudson Park,” which he said was a gem with beautiful beaches. Hudson Park is “affordable” with the City’s Omnicard. Carello added this is what the city had in mind when they wanted to reactivate Hudson Park. “Everyone worked hard to make this happen” and he had many memories here and wanted the betterment of this gem.
After the ribbon cutting Carello told the Westchester Guardian that this has “been a labor of love” and that there was interest in the Queen City of New Rochelle for waterfront development and it should start here. The visionaries of this innovative approach to enjoying the waterfront are a team of entrepreneurs who have evaluated their investments wisely. Carello along with Arthur Godfrey, Jr., Chef Brian MacMenanim and Jerry Shanahan, Jr. who run this concession at the Beach Bar and are also operators of the Post Road Ale House on Huguenot Street in New Rochelle, In May a ten year agreement to run the beach concession was signed. This group invested $236,000 to improve this building which will ultimately be owned by the City.
After the ribbon cutting. St. Paul, who is a candidate for Mayor in New Rochelle, said this is a proud moment. New Rochelle will revitalize our waterfront and we hope to use this same spirit to revitalize downtown. Councilman Lou Trangucci went further, “What we are trying to do is the open the area to beach goers and have a bit of a night life. This is the first year under a trial basis. Council will review it this Fall. We need to see where we are, what was good and what needs to be improved upon.” Another person who attended the ceremony, Steve Mayo, said, “This is an example of the community coming together to improve the waterfront which, let’s face it, has not been invested in or supported for many years. If the City ever gets a comprehensive master plan, perhaps we can fund this and other things to move forward.”
For now, people are talking about this new Beach Bar and enjoying it. It is open every day and can be found on Facebook.

In the Westchester Guardian