What a relief for visitors to Little Bay Park!
The park’s comfort stations are fully operational and will be open for public use after Thursday, according to officials.
The project is long overdue, with state Senator Tony Avella and former Congressman Gary Ackerman having secured millions of dollars to install bathrooms and expand the site’s parking lot in 2004. Work on the parking lot was complete in May of 2015.
Workers broke ground on the comfort stations in 2013 and the completion date was delayed in the next year by extreme winter weather.
First, the delays in the plan had been caused by additional funding reviews by the state’s Department of Transportation, as well as the need to secure design and construction approvals from the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation and city’s Department of Environmental Protection.
Residents of the area were thrilled to hear the news. Temporary porta-potty toilets have had to suffice in place of a permanent facility since before construction began.
The Bay Terrace Community Alliance — a civic association that has been critical of the delayed construction throughout the entire process — posted a message on its Facebook page informing residents of the project’s upcoming conclusion.
“Flush away your troubles at Little Bay Park! Long awaited comfort station is scheduled to open for business on Thurs, Feb. 4th. Hold it in no longer!” the statement read.
The park is located in between the Throggs Neck Bridge and Fort Totten Park on the border of Whitestone and Bayside.
