Fresh Plans for Boys and Girls Harbor Camp

The former Boys and Girls Harbor campsite on Three Mile Harbor in East Hampton, which the town and Suffolk County purchased in 2011 for $7.3 million, may see a renovation that would include a covered pavilion, an amenity that East Hampton Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc said is in too short supply. 

At the town board’s March 20 work session, Mr. Van Scoyoc said that the town’s property management committee was created to evaluate town-owned structures that had fallen into disuse and decide if they should be retained and restored for public use. Properties including Fort Pond House and Second House in Montauk, and Duck Creek Farm in Springs, are among those restored or undergoing restoration. Earlier this month, the board approved an estimated $850,000 expenditure to restore the 11-acre property in Springs that once belonged to the Abstract Expressionist painters James Brooks and Charlotte Park. 

Last week, the board turned its attention to the Boys and Girls Harbor mess hall, part of the original Boys Harbor camp founded by Anthony Drexel Duke. From 1954 to 2006, he brought underprivileged inner-city youth to the camp to hike, boat, swim, and learn about nature. 

The site, adjoining Three Mile Harbor, is approximately 60 acres, Mr. Van Scoyoc said, and “to date has been very much underutilized, because although there’s room to park, there really are no other amenities there.” 

The mess hall is approximately 45 by 105 feet, Mr. Van Scoyoc said, and contains a large dining area, kitchen, and restrooms. “That building has fallen into disrepair,” he said. After the town and county purchased the property, “that building was retained with the idea that it be used for recreation in the future.” 

The board engaged Drew Bennett, a consulting engineer, to conduct a study to determine whether the structure would be safe and in a condition conducive to restoration. “That revealed that there are some major problems with the existing building,” he said. “However, the slab, which is pretty much the whole footprint of the building, is in good shape.” The chimney and fireplace are also in good condition, he said, and Mr. Bennett’s recommendations included retention and restoration of the bathrooms and some mechanical elements. 

“We now have a proposal to do the plans and specs to get this structure put out to bid for restoration, with the concept of an open-air covered pavilion,” the supervisor said. The covered pavilion at Maidstone Park in Springs and the picnic area at Fresh Pond in Amagansett are the only such amenities in the town, he said, and they are solidly booked for events. “The idea is to not put the roof over the entire footprint, to have an outside concrete deck area.”

The creation of more accessible trails that adhere to Americans With Disabilities Act requirements has been added to the plan, Mr. Van Scoyoc said. “The topography is already very much disturbed, having been a camp,” he said, “and dirt roads and whatnot go throughout the property.” A wide path improved with a pervious surface would allow those using walkers or wheelchairs to better enjoy the park setting, he said, and children to learn to ride bicycles.

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This article has been updated to correctly reflect that the Maidstone Park picnic pavillion is the only covered site of its type on town property.