In a town that’s 377 years old, it’s tough to get a first.
However, the East Hampton Town Board pulled it off earlier this month when discussing an update to the draft management plan for Wainscott Green, located at 378 Montauk Highway, amending it to add a large memorial dance floor.
“No plan can really contemplate all the proposals from outside entities,” said Scott Wilson, the town’s director of land acquisition and management.
The original draft management plan, approved in 2019, detailed the history of the parcel.
In 1977, approvals were first given for a club, which became known as The Swamp. “The establishment was known as and has been identified in various publications as a popular and welcoming night spot for the gay community as well as for many celebrities and nightlife guests during the height of its operations, which continued into the early 2000s,” reads the plan.
However, the building eventually fell into disrepair and in 2017, the lot was purchased for $2.1 million using community preservation fund money. The Friends of the Georgica Pond Foundation chipped in $300,000.
In 2019, the town board approved the aforementioned plan before Hamptons Pride, in 2021, made an additional presentation to the board, asking it to consider the dance floor, memorial sculptures, and pathways to and from the dance floor.
“The plan when we wrote it, didn’t allow for the addition of that type of infrastructure,” said Mr. Wilson. “The only change in this document is one sentence: ‘In consideration of a presentation by Hamptons Pride, allow for the installation of a historical marker reminiscent of the former Swamp dance floor and associated memorial sculptures and access path,’ “ he read.
“This change will give the town board some flexibility to determine if it wishes to allow for the installation of some, all, or none of the proposed changes. Ultimately it’s the town board who gets to decide whether you move forward on any of these things,” he said.
He added that Tom House, president and founding director of Hamptons Pride, had an upcoming meeting with Tina Vavilis LaGarenne, the town’s planning director, to discuss permitting and the path forward.
Councilman David Lys didn’t comment on the structures or the proposed memorial garden as much as wonder about the pathways and whether “stone dust,” which is an A.D.A.-compatible path material, was too difficult for the town to maintain. He didn’t offer a direct alternative but simply questioned if it was the best option.
“It’s harder to maintain this location than any of the other multi-user paths,” he said.
“I’ve heard from a lot of the public that they want the more natural look,” said Councilman Ian Calder-Piedmonte, “but maintenance is a real problem here. We need to find the balance.” He said he and Mr. Wilson had explored other surfaces that would require less maintenance than stone dust. “It’s something we should continue to look into.”
“My one question with the dance floor memorial piece goes back to the maintenance,” said Councilman Tom Flight. “Is this the town’s responsibility to maintain that?”
“It seems like it’s stone that should last for decades,” said Mr. Lys, while admitting that a long-term maintenance plan was still to be determined.
“I’m supportive,” said Councilman Ian Calder-Piedmonte. “I think there’s another step. I do think it will be important that any installation would have to fit the parklike setting. There is plenty of time for us to be careful about the details.”
Councilwoman Cate Rogers, the board liaison to the Wainscott Citizens Advisory Committee, indicated that it was “over all quite supportive of the memorial.”
The next step is a public hearing, which will be held next Thursday at 6 p.m. at Town Hall.
