Meeting with Dowling:  Last week, the Oakdale Civic Assoc., Idle Hour Civic Assoc., the Oakdale Chamber of Commerce and the Oakdale Improvement Society met with Dowling president Robert Gaffney and V.P. of Development Michael DeLuise to discuss recent events.  Mr. Gaffney acknowledged the community’s wishes and said there would be no further planning for expansion in Oakdale. We suggested that the college also distribute the student body so as to reduce the burden in Oakdale and concentrate more in the 105 acre Brookhaven campus.  He said that he would consider that request. 

    The meeting also addressed our concerns with Bronco Charlie’s (see below), the sewage treatment plant, traffic, signage and Dowling owned properties in Oakdale. Mr. DeLuise suggested that we meet for a monthly breakfast to work on solutions / plans for proceeding with Dowling’s becoming a better neighbor – and for our sharing in those plans.  The first one has already been scheduled!  Mr. Gaffney and Mr. DeLuise were forthcoming and accommodating and gave us a reason to believe that they want the best for Dowling – obviously – and for their relationship with Oakdale as well. 

        Bronco Charlie’s is finally on the market for sale: Also at last week’s meeting, Mr. Gaffney said that the Bronco Charlie’s property would immediately be placed back on the market for sale.  The Civics and Chamber will be in touch with Islip Town’s planning board to be sure that what becomes of that property adheres to the developing Oakdale Hamlet Plan (more on that below). 

     In the meantime, that property desperately needs to be cleaned up.  Oakdale Improvement pressured Mr. Gaffney to give a date for beginning that process and while he couldn’t do that on the spot, he promised it would begin as soon as it could be scheduled.  Oakdale Improvement will keep a close eye on that. 

    All in all, this is great news and an important step forward in creating a main street that really reflects the pride we have in Oakdale!

     Fire Island Grill:  You have probably noticed that a lot of work has commenced on this property over the past two weeks.  Issues related to the historical significance of this building forced a halt to demolition work and the owner had placed the property for sale.  Happily, those issues were resolved with the Town and permits were issued to continue development. 

    A new building will emerge that will incorporate the original roofline, and is reported to become home to a new restaurant.  

     Oakdale Hamlet Plan:  A very important result of our community meetings is a need to fashion a plan that is driven by Oakdale’s residents.  As successful as we were in having our voices heard regarding what we don’t want, the question of what we do want begs an answer.  If significant changes are going to occur in the relative near future, let’s be sure we continue an active level of input as to what those changes will be. 

    To that end, a “Roundtable” of the civics, the Chamber and Oakdale Improvement has been formed to help develop the plan in concert with Islip Town.  The “Roundtable” will have its own channel of communication through OakdaleNY.com.

    There are many residents in the Oakdale community with good ideas, and your ideas should be heard. How?  Attend Civic Association meetings.  These are the organized forums where ideas get aired, questions asked and answered, and things can actually happen.  The “Roundtable” is not designed to exist in a vacuum, but rather to help organize and discuss your ideas.  Take advantage of it through your Civic Associations.