A new ramp and fishing dock has been added to Long Island’s newest lighthouse.
Earlier this year, a 22-foot, solar-powered lighthouse was erected at Sandspit Marina in Patchogue. The structure, which is unmanned, was part of a $1 million project to reconstruct the Patchogue Bay jetty after Superstorm Sandy destroyed it in 2012.
As GreaterPatchogue reported back in December, plans for the lighthouse had been a long and drawn-out process. The former monument originally consisted of three cesspool rings with a light on top. But after almost a decade of discussion, the town, village and state came together to clean up the property and give the jetty its upgrades.
“Looking at the lighthouse now,” Patchogue Village Mayor Paul Pontieri said, “It tells the story, itself.”
On a location owned by Brookhaven Town, the rebuilding of the jetty was funded $650,000 by the state, $300,000 by the town and $100,000 by the village. “This project is a real example of the three of us coming together to make something happen,” added Pontieri.
He said that the construction and rebuilding of the property is continuing, with its newest addition being a handicap accessible ramp and fishing dock, which was officially completed two weeks ago.
“I was just down there the other day and seeing all the kids play on it was a really nice sight,” he said. “It’s one of the better things happening in our community right now.”
The ramp starts at the edge of the parking lot and leads right up to the structure, a new guiding light that invites fishermen and sailors.
“It’s a diamond that sits on the pier and welcomes them into Patchogue,” Pontieri said.
Photos of the lighthouse and ramp by Julianne Mosher
