WHITE PLAINS, NY — The Westchester County Board of Legislators (BOL) unanimously approved two bond acts tonight to fund critical repairs at Playland, the County’s amusement park and recreation facility, for infrastructure damaged during Hurricane Sandy in late October 2012.
The two separate repair projects, which were added by the BOL to County’s 2013 Capital Projects Budget, were categorized by the Administration as necessary for emergency contracts, which is why the BOL’s Government Operations Committee, chaired by Legislator Catherine Borgia (D-Ossining), moved quickly on the items. Both bond acts were then taken up in the BOL’s Budget & Appropriations Committee, chaired by Legislator Judy Myers (D-Larchmont), where they gained similar approval before tonight’s vote at the BOL’s regular meeting.
The first approved bond act, totaling $7,575,000, will go toward repairing the boardwalk at Playland, which was damaged extensively from Sandy’s high winds and storm surge, causing parts of the structure to heave, buckle or completely wash away. Since the storm, the boardwalk, which is normally open to county residents during the off-season, has been closed to the public for safety reasons.
The second bond act is in the amount of $4,925,000 to fund the cost of design and construction of roofing, boilers and structural work at the Playland Ice Casino. The County’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation has reported that the Ice Casino, used by thousands of residents annually, suffered extensive damage during Hurricane Sandy. The roof structure, which showed significant cracking in a February 2012 inspection, now requires major repairs before the facility can be re-opened. Also, high winds blew off two doors on the Ice Casino facing the Long Island Sound, and a fifteen foot storm surge flooded the basement and damaged the boilers.
“I am pleased that my colleagues on the Board of Legislators wholeheartedly agreed that these two bond acts deserved close attention and a quick approval so these repairs can be completed and Playland can be opened on time for the 2013 season, with the Ice Casino be made available to residents as soon as possible,” said Myers.
A number of the BOL members are expected to visit Playland this week and see the storm damage.
“Playland is a major attraction in Westchester, and it is also provides substantial revenue for the county and jobs for our youth,” said Borgia. “Getting things back to normal the park needs to be a priority, and I’m looking forward to regular progress reports on the repairs being done there.”