Inside Freeport 2009-07

              Inside Freeport
MONTHLY NEWS FROM MMiOTijt
NAUTICAL FESTIVAL CROWDS BREAK RECORDS
Great weather brought out thousands of visitors to Freeport's annual two-day Nauti-cal
Mile Festival last weekend on Saturday, June 6th. Residents and visitors crowded
Woodcleft Avenue, which was closed to traffic to accommodate the hundreds of
booths and sidewalk dining arrangements set up all along the Nautical Mile. There
were clowns, cartoon characters, carnival rides, games and specialty foods for the
youngsters along with arts and crafts booths, nautical gift shops, and musical enter-tainment
as well as lots of restaurants offering favorite seafood dishes for the adults.
Mayor Andrew Hardwick officiated at his first ribbon-cutting ceremony as may-or,
opening the event at noon on Saturday, June 6. The festival-goers quickly filled
the street enjoying the wonderful weather and the various attractions offered. Mayor
Hardwick walked the entire Nautical Mile from the top at Front Street, shaking
hands and stopping along the way to say hello and welcome people to the Festival.
The Festival was a major success, bringing thousands of residents, visitors and
old friends to Freeport's waterfront. The event reminded those familiar with the
Village's Nautical Mile of its many attractions while introducing first time visitors
to the many restaurants, shops and delightful water views available along Wood-cleft
Avenue. This year, the Village has added a transient marina and a dockmas-ter's
quarters just to the west of the Scenic Pier.
FREEPORT TO BEGIN "RECLAIMING" FORECLOSED HOMES
"As a result of the worst nationwide economic downturn in over 30 years, the
epidemic of foreclosed homes on Long Island has the potential to destroy neigh-borhoods
and create blight in otherwise stable communities," said Mayor Andrew
Hardwick announcing a program to rescue a number of these properties in Free-port.
The project will bring federal funding into Freeport through Nassau County
and the Community Development Corporation of Long Island.
The "Reclaim Long Island Homes" project, under the direction of the CDC
of LI, explained Mayor Hardwick, will invest $1 million to buy approximately
15 foreclosed homes in Freeport and rehabilitate these properties, then re-sell
them to qualified buyers. The program was announced Thursday, June llth, at
a news conference in front of one of the foreclosed houses located at 13 Queen
Street in Freeport.
Those individuals interested in more information about the houses may con-tact
the Community Development Corporation of Long Island at its Freeport of-fice
516-867-7727 or visit it at 54 West Merrick Road, Freeport.
Mayor Hardwick
Addressee Northwest
Civic Association Meeting
Freepon'.s newly elected Mayor
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Mayor Hardwick Launches "Inside Freeport"
on Radio and Television
Beginning with the initial program, which aired May 6, 2009 at 4:30pm on radio station WTHE 1520
AM, Mayor Andrew Hardwick will be broadcasting a regular show, "Inside Freeport" every Wednes-day
for listeners to hear first hand the up-to-date news and information about Freeport. During each
broadcast there will also be an opportunity for listeners to call in and speak with the Mayor.
"Inside Freeport" with Mayor Hardwick as host, will also be broadcasting on Cablevision's govern-ment
access station, Channel 22. The Mayor will have guests on his program to discuss the sweeping
changes that will be taking place in the Village under the Hardwick Administration. Mayor Hardwick
is partnering with the members of the clergy as well as Freeport school district officials, to ensure a
clean, green, safe, and economically healthy environment for all village residents. The Hardwick Ad-ministration
believes in an Open-Door policy. Please call 377-2252 or email ahardwick@freeportny.
gov with your questions or concerns.
Freeport's Adopt-A-Cop Picnic Brings K-9 Team,
Divers and Kids to Recreation Center
The police officers who volunteer in the Adopt-A-Cop program in the four elementary schools in
Freeport are spending the day at the Village Recreation Center enjoying a picnic with the hundreds of
students from the district's fourth grade classes celebrating another successful year.
Freeport's "Adopt-A-Cop" program, which was created to encourage the students to develop an on-going
relationship with members of the police force, has been a major success. The youngsters "adopt" a
police officer who volunteers to spend time with the students, participate in the class events, and corre-spondswith
the youngsters during the school year. The program won national recognition from the United
States Conference of Mayors in 2003.
The officers provide reliable mentors and role models who help these young people when they are
faced with difficult choices and challenges during their adolescent and teenage years," Woodward stated.
Freeport Mayor Andrew Hardwick, who attended the event, praised the program. "The Adopt-A-Cop
project is a critical part of my Zero Tolerance on Crime outreach effort. It has been highly effective in
helping young people, boys and girls, steer clear of bad influences and violent activities, and it has my
full support."
The program, the brainchild of Police Chief Michael Woodward, has been in effect in Freeport for
15 years and has been copied by various other communities.
| , Incorporated .Village of Freeport
46 Ocean North Avenue, Freeport, NY4152P-3QI4 • Office: 516-377.2252 • www.freeportny.gov