East Hills Approves $2.5M Bond for New Village Playground

East Hills parents and children may have a brand-new playground to enjoy by summer. The Village of East Hills Board of Trustees approved a $2.5 million bond at its March 10 meeting to fund construction of a new village playground, with work potentially starting as early as April.

Mayor Michael Koblenz confirmed the scope of the project at the meeting. “We’ve announced that we are building a new playground that’s going to cost a couple of million bucks, so we have to approve bonds,” Koblenz said. The village will issue a bond not to exceed $2.5 million to keep the project on schedule, with payments for the work expected this summer.

Trustee Emmanuel Zuckerman said construction could begin in early April and wrap up by mid-July, putting a finished playground in place before the heart of summer vacation.

For families watching their tax bills, Koblenz offered reassurance. He said the borrowing will not increase village taxes because previous bonds have been paid off, freeing up capacity in the village budget. The new debt essentially steps into the space vacated by retired obligations, keeping the tax burden flat.

The playground is one piece of a broader capital improvement push the village is pursuing. Trustees said they may consider additional bonds at a future meeting for other upgrades, including renovations to the village theater and a new air-conditioning system for village hall.

Beyond the playground bond, trustees moved through a range of operational and infrastructure items at the same meeting.

The board authorized Mayor Koblenz to sign a contract that increases the hourly rate for athletic field lining services. Park Executive David Squillante cited rising labor and paint costs as the reason for the adjustment. A single case of paint now runs about $90, and the village uses multiple cases regularly to keep its athletic fields properly marked.

Trustees approved a $700 payment to the Nassau County Health Department covering the village pool’s permanent operator certification, a mandatory requirement for running the facility. The board also authorized an $8,000 payment to Long Island Power Systems to place a generator at the village police building. Officials noted that county grant funding tied to renovations of the police facility will reimburse the village for that expense, meaning no net cost to local taxpayers.

Trustees voted to accept a proposal for the village’s mandatory stormwater management program, keeping East Hills in compliance with state and local environmental requirements. The board also renewed its food service agreement at the village park grill with Delicacies. Deputy Mayor Brian Meyerson acknowledged the renewal came after a bumpy stretch. An earlier attempt to switch vendors fell through because of insurance and contractual complications, leaving Delicacies in place to continue the arrangement.

For East Hills families, the playground timeline is the headline. A project breaking ground in April and finishing by mid-July means children could be using the new facility during summer break, not waiting another year for a ribbon cutting. Whether the village hits that window depends on contractor availability and weather, but trustees appear committed to the schedule.

The broader capital plan, including the theater and village hall air conditioning, signals that East Hills officials are looking at more than one project at a time. How those future bonds are structured and what they cost residents will be worth watching as the board continues its planning process.

The next board meeting has not yet been publicly scheduled, but officials indicated the additional bond authorizations could come up soon. Parents and residents who want to track the playground project or weigh in on the village’s capital spending should monitor meeting announcements through the village’s official channels.