The Town of Oyster Bay is currently applying for a grant to replace the observation tower at John F. Kennedy Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary.

One of the unique features of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary, which is situated on Great South Bay adjacent to Tobay Beach, was a 40' tower from which visitors could see not only the entire sanctuary, but the surrounding bay and the Atlantic ocean. Last fall the tower was vandalized a number of times. The Town's Parks Department, which oversees the sanctuary, finally had to remove it for safety reasons.

"The town would like to replace the old wooden structure with one constructed of concrete and steel," Supervisor John Venditto said. The estimated cost of the new tower is $50,000. The town has been advised by the New York Department of State that funds are available through the Environmental Protection Fund in the form of a 50-50 matching grant. The town will be submitting an application and should be notified by July or August as to whether or not the project qualifies.

Established in 1959 the John F. Kennedy Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary is considered to be one of the most important refuges for waterfowl in the northeast. The sanctuary draws hundreds of birders each year and the tower adds an important vantage point for viewing. "We hope we will be successful in getting the grant for this worthy project," said Venditto.