Scoring a victory for the disabled

Tobay now accessible via wheelchair from bike trail

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In 2014, when the bike path that runs along the Wantagh Parkway was extended to Tobay Beach, many hailed its arrival as a safe, scenic trail for anyone who wanted to walk, run, cycle or skateboard.

A year later, however, following complaints from Oyster Bay residents about errant cyclists in the Tobay parking lot and beach areas, the town installed fences, a turnstile and a locked gate. The turnstile allowed pedestrians in, but kept bicycles out. It also, however, prevented wheelchair access — the chairs couldn’t get through to the restrooms and concession stand on the other side.

But after Malvernite Peter Hawkins and his friend Andrew Hader conducted a two-year letter and phone campaign aimed at local elected officials and the federal government, the barriers became history as of last week.

“Andrew sent me a text last week saying, ‘Did you see what they did?’” said Hawkins, 53, a paraplegic athlete who has won numerous marathons around the world. “Then he sent me a text with [a photo of] the gates and turnstile down.”

When the town installed the turnstile, fence and gate in 2015, there was no way for a disabled person to enter the park from the bike trail. “It looked like a correctional facility,” said Hawkins. “A big black fence with a turnstile, and no consideration for someone with a wheelchair or an assistance device.”

The town put a lock on the gate, and Hawkins called to complain. After repeated phone calls, town officials gave him the combination to the lock. “That got me in, but not everybody else,” Hawkins said, adding that he had had numerous conversations with former Oyster Bay Parks Commissioner Frank Nocerino and former Town Supervisor John Venditto about it. “I spoke with Venditto a couple of times, and I spoke to his son Michael at the Farmingdale Main Street Mile,” Hawkins said. “All I got back was, ‘We’ll get to it, we’ll get to it.’”

Growing frustrated, Hawkins and Haber contacted the U.S. State Department with a discrimination complaint, and their issue was transferred to the Department of the Interior’s Office of Civil Rights. Then, last week, the turnstile and the locked gate were gone. “It was the right thing to do,” said Joseph Saladino, the Town of Oyster Bay supervisor. “We’re very respectful of everyone, and we want to make life equal and appropriate for all of those with different ability levels.” Saladino said he had several conversations with Hawkins about the situation and realized it was important. Hawkins concurred: “Saladino was very good in helping to make this happen, and I’m really happy that he did.”

The trail’s access to Tobay comes just in time for Hawkins, who has numerous competitions to train for, including Peachtree Road Race in Georgia on July Fourth, where he will compete against 60 world-class athletes in the wheelchair division. The Peachtree event is considered one of the largest and fastest wheelchair 10Ks in the country.