Previously Published in The Messenger
By Cait Crudden
Blydenburgh County Park in Hauppauge is undergoing major improvements, thanks to a series of critical capital projects led by Suffolk County Legislator Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset) and supported by Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches). This past week, Kennedy visited the site to observe a Rosemar Construction crew actively repaving the park’s South Entrance Way, a project funded through a 2025 Capital Project grant she filed last spring.
The newly paved roadway stretches from the Veterans Memorial Highway entrance to the park’s popular Dog Park, replacing a worn-down road surface that had not seen significant upgrades in decades. Local officials and residents noted that the need for repairs had been building up for many years.
“This project has really been 30 years overdue. Blydenburgh has been through a lot in the past year, and this is just one of the many projects we’re working on to make Blydenburgh the park it deserves to be,” said Legislator Kennedy.
The road repaving is just one of many improvements underway at Blydenburgh, a park treasured for its hiking trails. The park is also home to Stump Pond, which suffered devastating damage during the August 2024 storms when its historic dam was destroyed. Executive Romaine, who has made the dam restoration a top priority, provided a detailed update this week on the county’s efforts to rebuild Stump Pond and enhance the entire park.
“From the minute we lost this dam and the historic Stump Pond, I have remained committed to seeing the dam rebuilt and bringing back this storied body of water,” said Romaine. “Stump Pond is a centerpiece of this community and one of the jewels of the Suffolk County parks system.”
According to Romaine, substantial progress has been made in the dam reconstruction project. The Suffolk County Department of Public Works has completed preliminary surveys and geotechnical borings, installed data loggers to monitor tributary inflows, and fully mapped the watershed to guide hydrologic modeling. Preliminary meetings with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Dam Safety Division have already taken place to begin the regulatory approval process.
Necessary permits from the NYSDEC, the State Historic Preservation Office, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are being pursued to ensure compliance with environmental and safety standards. Future steps include completing additional survey work, finalizing watershed analysis, selecting a preferred dam design, and preparing construction-ready documents.
In addition to the roadway improvements and dam restoration, Kennedy’s office secured funding for several other important initiatives across the Twelfth Legislative District. These projects include silt remediation in local waterways, expanded sidewalk construction in Smithtown and Brookhaven, $2.5 million in repairs for Miller’s Pond, and $6.5 million dedicated specifically to the Stump Pond dam replacement effort.
“Repair of the historic dam and the restoration of Stump Pond in Blydenburgh Park has been one of my top priorities since the devastating storm surge last August,” said Kennedy. “I’m grateful to the County Executive and the Department of Public Works for their commitment and progress to make the dam stronger, more durable, more environmentally friendly than before and for the efforts to keep our community informed on this important project.”
Romaine emphasized that while rebuilding a dam is a complex and time-consuming process, the administration remains committed to transparency and speed. A dedicated webpage is being developed to keep residents informed with regular updates as milestones are achieved.
“These things take time, but rest assured this is a priority for this administration,” said Romaine. “I am sure that we will one day welcome Stump Pond back to our community.”
With repaving already completed and dam restoration moving ahead, residents are seeing the first tangible signs of Blydenburgh County Park’s transformation.