The Bay Shore Chamber of Commerce held its second meeting of the year on March 25. It took place in the Bay Shore–Brightwaters Public Library at 7 p.m. It was also the second meeting for new president Eddie Fraser, who succeeded Donna Pericone after having served the community of Bay Shore for 27 years.

“Welcome everybody to our second chamber meeting of the year,” Fraser said. “As you can see, it’s a packed room; this means that there’s a lot of people in this room that care, and care to talk about our downtown, our greater Bay Shore area, and we’re gonna get ready to do that tonight.”

Early in the meeting, all members of the Bay Shore Chamber of Commerce Board were sworn in by Town of Islip councilman Michael McElwee and provided certificates on behalf of the Town of Islip. McElwee had previously served on the committee for 15 years. Members of the committee raised their right hands as they took an oath.

President of South Shore University Hospital Irene Macyk provided updates on the hospital. Macyk has been serving in her position for about 15 months. She was born in Southside Hospital and raised in the Town of Islip.

Macyk spoke of improvements that have been occurring at SSUH, including being a 325-bed hospital. Over 3,000 employees work in the building, a majority being from the community. In about a year from now, there will be a new building to help SSUH grow and serve its residents and an additional 90 beds.

Magazine Discover Bay Shore was introduced, similar to the Discover Patchogue magazine, which launched in Patchogue about seven years ago. The magazine will aim to help promote local businesses with ads that can be purchased. It will be available digitally and in print; 12,000 will be printed, with 8,000 being mailed out directly and the remainder going to different locales.

Suffolk County Legis. Steve Flotteron introduced the update coming to Gardiner Manor Park in Bay Shore. The playground is over 30 years old and in need of a makeover. The new playground will aim to be all inclusive, autism friendly, and ADA compliant toward different disabilities.

It will feature an area aimed at younger children such as from 2 to 5 years old and another area for 5 to 12 years old. It will also have sensory-friendly areas. Flotteron aims to have the playground open by the fall.

McElwee announced that the Town Hall in Islip is undergoing an expansion to make the building fully ADA compliant. The project is not being completed with taxpayer money, but rather with ARPA funds that the Town of Islip received from the federal government for COVID.

Officer John Wright, with the SCPD Third Precinct, mentioned the next community meeting, which will be held on April 1. They are held the first Tuesday of every month. It will be held in the Brentwood Public Library at 7 p.m.

The Great South Bay YMCA announced $120,000 worth of summer camp scholarships. Applications are available at the YMCA. Children have previously received full scholarships for the entire eight weeks of the summer camp.

Save the Great South Bay announced a creek cleanup at the Penataquit Creek. The nonprofit works to improve and protect the water quality of the South Bay. It will take place on April 13.

The next meeting is scheduled for May 27 at 7 p.m. at the Bay Shore–Brightwaters Library.