Coates Calls For Change In Grangebel Park

Despite the fact that he did not receive a nod from the Riverhead GOP to run for the town board in the coming election, Anthony Coates continues to campaign, full steam ahead.

Coates, who plans to wage a primary for a town board seat, has embarked upon a "Good Ideas Tour," a series of suggestions and improvements he'd like to see around Riverhead Town.

This week, Coates called for a "Marshall Plan," -- named after General George Marshall, who was employed to rebuild Europe after World War II -- for Grangebel Park.

Coates, who is a member of the community garden, said he went to work on this plot recently on a beautiful day. "Weather-wise, that is," he said. "Otherwise, it was an ugly scene. Grangebel was a sea of drug dealers, prostitutes and people sleeping in the park left over from the night before. The park was filthy with litter and debris. Not exactly a place you'd bring a picnic lunch or wander with your family."

Coates believes Grangebel Park needs a makeover, which would include cleaning the park, removing the litter, and ridding the area of graffiti.

Recently, Dee Muma, owner of the Dark Horse Restaurant on Main Street, pitched a plan to the town board to breathe new life into the old pump house at the park.

"I applaud Dee Muma's efforts to take back the pump house at Grangebel. We need to tap that kind of spirit in the rest of the park. Folks, we are in a war. We are in a war to take back the park we spent so much labor and money to renew," Coates said. "It's time to begin."

It's also critical, Coates believes, to use the park, with a series of events scheduled by the town's park and recs department. "Grangebel should be a showplace for Riverhead. It should be a place that families come to enjoy downtown. Grangebel should be a place for concerts, art shows, plays, music and fun. Instead it is the gathering place for the lowest element in our town. When Grangebel becomes the gathering place for good people the bad people will go," he said. 

What do you think can be done to revitalize Grangebel Park? Share your thoughts in the comments section.