Help Plan Oyster Bay

Oyster Bay, New York – Downtown Oyster Bay has been selected as the site for a 48-hour make-over. DoTank:Brooklyn is a well-regarded national consortium of planners, designers, and architects based in New York City. They will be providing their services for free over a two-day period to help transform a portion of Audrey Avenue Extension in downtown Oyster Bay.

Local leaders and community members will join them to participate in a short-term planning exercise on June 12-13, 2010. Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto has been very accommodating of the event, providing full support of the Town for these efforts. Improvements being made during these 48 hours will build support for plans and actions over the next 48 months, that will ultimately help to promote sustainable design and lasting change over the next 48 years.

Oyster Bay Main Street Association President Ellen Roché, speaking of the event, said “This highly visible high-impact event will provide the Oyster Bay community an opportunity to actively get involved in revitalization efforts. We hope this event will serve as a catalyst attracting interest and attention that will in turn help to attract resources for future improvements.”

Michele Browner, President of the Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce which is helping to lead the event, said “This is about economic revitalization of the Hamlet, and the whole community coming together to make Oyster Bay an attractive place to live, work, do business, and play.”

A growing list of participants and groups are represented in the event, including:

• The Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce is involved in planning and many Chamber members will be represented each of the two days.
• The Oyster Bay Railroad Museum Preview Center at 100 Audrey Ave and the historic Long Island Rail Road Station will be open both Saturday and Sunday.
• A Railroad Museum Café will be just south of the station, with food and drinks offered by V’s Hot and Sweet each of the two days.
• Bliss Studios will offer a yoga class at 9:30am on Saturday, a ballroom dancing class at 6:30pm on Saturday, and a Zumba class 9:30am on Sunday, at 101 Audrey Ave.
• A Healthy U will have ice cream and drinks on sale, with seating outside their store at 98 Audrey Ave.
• Children’s art work from Not Just Art will be on display in a pop-up café also located at 101 Audrey Ave.
• The Oyster Bay pop-up store at 91 Audrey Ave will feature gifts and merchandise from area historic sites and Oyster Bay organizations including Buckingham Variety Store, Raynham Hall Museum, Friends of the Bay, the  Theodore Roosevelt Association, the Hispanic Cultural Center and numerous others.
• Teaching Studios of Art will be offering a free art class at 115 Audrey Ave on Saturday from 3-5pm.
• Renaissance Property Associates has graciously made several of their buildings in the area available for pop-up stores, workshop space, and a café.
• For a complete and up-to-date listing of events, please visit www.oysterbaymainstreet.org.

Members of the public are invited to participate in activities to be held throughout the weekend.

• A Farmer’s Market with produce, prepared food, and numerous other vendors, will be open Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 2pm, in the parking lot north of Town Hall West.
• Pinata making workshops will be held at 11am and 1pm on Saturday and Sunday at the Bandstand between Town Hall and the U.S. Post Office.
• A Community Planning Workshop will be held on June 12, from 1-3pm at 101 Audrey Ave, where community members and planners will talk about future changes in the next 48 months to 48 years.
• An Outdoor Movie will take place Saturday, June 12, at 8pm in the pop-up park beside the historic Oyster Bay Long Island Rail Road Station at the end of Audrey Ave.
• A Theodore Roosevelt in Oyster Bay Tour will start at 91 Audrey Ave on Sunday at 2pm.
• A Guided Bike Ride will take place Sunday, at 3pm, and leave from the Railroad Museum Plaza.
• Live music, sidewalk chalk drawings, board games, a water feature, sandboxes, and other activities will provide fun and excitement for families and people of all ages.

The Oyster Bay Main Street Association, which is helping to organize the event, is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to enhancing and promoting an attractive and thriving downtown, while maintaining its historic integrity.