Government

South Jamesport Avenue beach will soon be a Riverhead Town park

South Jamesport Avenue
TIM GANNON PHOTO | The Town Board on Tuesday awarded a $175,971 contract to Brian V. Klug Landscaper of Speonk for the Miamogue Park Construction Project. The job calls for clearing these trees to build a parking lot and boardwalk, officials said.

The beach at the end of South Jamesport Avenue will soon became an official Riverhead Town park.

The Town Board on Tuesday awarded a $175,971 contract to Brian V. Klug Landscaper of Speonk for the Miamogue Park construction project. It was one of five bids received for the project.

The town acquired the 2.31-acre Miamogue Point property in South Jamesport in 2008 from Bob Patchell, who owns the adjacent Motel on the Bay. The $2 million purchase was made using $1.65 million in Community Preservation Fund money and $350,000 in grant money from the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

The acquisition came at a time when South Jamesport residents were feuding over beach access with two owners of beachfront property west of South Jamesport Avenue.

With the acquisition of the Patchell property, the town now plans to build an unpaved parking lot to allow more people to use the beach. Previously, “no parking” signs were posted along both sides of South Jamesport Avenue.

“The plan calls for clearing it for parking and a boardwalk,” town community development director Chris Kempner said Tuesday. “We expect it to be complete by the end of December.”

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