This is my second letter to the editor in order to update the community on the proposed Mary Jane Davies Playground.

The last several weeks have been spent obtaining playground designs and layouts from numerous playground companies and meeting with town officials.

A playground steering committee has been formed. In order to avoid creating an inefficient bureaucracy, the committee, consisting of representatives from the civic associations, the Mothers Club, the Chamber of Commerce and other groups, will work informally.

The Manhasset community is more than welcome to add input (627-5771).

Recent meetings with Town of North Hempstead officials were encouraging until the subject of money became the focus. It is unfortunate that cost becomes a roadblock considering that the expense of constructing the playground would cost each Town of North Hempstead resident less than 50 cents. Alternatively, it would cost less than 10 percent of the proceeds from the December 1997 sale of the town property at the bottom of Bayview Avenue. (It is unfortunate that approximately $1 million was taken out of Manhasset when the Manhasset Baseball League and various Manhasset soccer and lacrosse groups are desperate for space.)

At a meeting of the Council of Greater Manhasset Civic Association, on May 12, Supervisor Newburger stated that she would be contacting Mike Adams, chairman of the Manhasset Park District, to determine if the Manhasset Park District would be interested in having the town convey Mary Jane Davis Park to them.

If the Manhasset Park District takes ownership of the park, the district will be responsible for its maintenance. Such an arrangement would, undoubtedly, assure that the park would be well kept.

The Manhasset Park District commissioners would have to vote on creating a playground at Mary Jane Davies Park. Unfortunately, the tax base of the district is much smaller than that of the Town of North Hempstead. It might, thus, necessitate fund-raising efforts, some of which are currently being explored by this writer and others. (The Town of North Hempstead could make the first contribution, in light of the money it would save by not having to maintain the park, etc.)

If the park district is unable to take possession of the park, we are hopeful that the Town of North Hempstead will provide us with the services of its parks department personnel to help design an acceptable park. (Although Town of North Hempstead personnel is justifiably busy opening town parks, Manhasset's kids stand idly by without one.)

The Town of North Hempstead can help us design plans A, B and C, each having a different cost by meeting all Town of North Hempstead codes and state and federal safety and ADA requirements. Once this is accomplished, the town and community can consider the financing. (The Town of North Hempstead might, for example, agree to provide the cost of plan A while allowing the community to contribute funds to upgrade and obtain plan B or plan C, possibly in phases.)

If the Manhasset Park District can not take ownership, we can only move forward with the assistance of the Town of North Hempstead and its elusive department of parks and recreation. Meanwhile, nonresidents of the Town of North Hempstead will be golfing in Port Washington and the Manhasset kids...

John Minogue