So Far, Jamesport's New State Park is Used Mainly By Illegal ATV Riders

It's been years since New York State bought an unbelieveably beautiful piece of Long Island Sound waterfront property on eastern Long Island for a new park. This story, in the Suffolk Times, points out that despite all the fanfare that surrounded the purchase of the Jamesport State Park and Preserve, the park still has no-trespassing signs up and the only users are ATV riders who without question, in my opinion, are damaging the dunes and bluffs.

The Pataki administration bought the park and then left it up to the next administration to figure out what to do with it. The state parks department now says the park is on the top of its list for a new master plan to help them get it ready for public use.

Except for the ATV use -- which should be stopped -- I don't think there's any big scandal here. Buying the land and protecting it was obviously the right thing to do. But with public access to the Sound such an important issue, it would be nice to see the Jamesport park opened.