Town Awarded Maximum Grant for Hampton West Park • Southampton, NY

$675K from NY State Will Fund New Courts, Equipment, & Improved Access

Southampton Town’s plan for a revitalized Hampton West Park has reached a critical funding milestone as local officials announced today the arrival of hundreds of thousands in long-awaited state funds.

Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore reported that the Town has been awarded $675,000—the maximum amount possible—from New York’s Office of Parks, Recreation, & Historic Preservation (OPRHP) and its Environmental Protection Fund (EPF).

“This funding represents an important milestone in our plan to upgrade Hampton West Park,” said Supervisor Moore. “The grant can cover up to 50 percent of eligible project costs on a reimbursement basis. With approximately $1.87 million budgeted for improvements in this year’s capital plan, the Town is prepared to advance the project with all required funds in place.” 

Located at 700 Stewart Avenue in Westhampton, across from Suffolk County’s Gabreski Airport, Hampton West Park has been a favorite facility for communities on the South Fork. The 15-acre site currently features a playground, two basketball courts, two asphalt tennis courts, a turf baseball/softball field, four pickleball courts, a multipurpose grass field, and a small parking lot. Moore, who previously served as Mayor of nearby Westhampton Beach Village, noted that the park is home to several local Little League and youth soccer clubs.

The existing park was deeded to Southampton Town in 1983, with the original courts being constructed sometime in 1978. The facility’s limited changes since then have included several resurfacings, and a restriping of two original tennis courts to create basketball courts. In 2022 and 2023, at the request of community members, the Town did so with two other tennis courts to convert them to pickleball use, one of the fastest-growing athletic pursuits in the country.

Over the course of 2026, the Southampton Town Parks and Recreation Department aims to replace the existing basketball, tennis, and pickleball courts. Upgrades will include new surfacing, fencing, equipment, and the latest in “accessible design” elements. The project will address safety, accessibility, and recreational needs for local residents—including disadvantaged communities—and ensure that “this essential resource will remain available for all members of the public.”

“This grant will go a long way to help rebuild the aged sports courts and provide enhanced accessibility at this well-utilized community park,” said Parks Director Kristen Doulos. “We expect to complete the work by the end of 2026.”

Overall, New York State’s OPRHP is dedicating up to $26 million to parks, historic preservation, and heritage areas through the EPF program. Its matching grants can be used for the acquisition, development, and improvement of parkland and historic properties listed on the National or State Registers of Historic Places, and heritage areas identified in plans for statutorily designated Heritage Areas. Funds are available to municipalities and not-for-profits with an ownership interest.

For more information about the funding process, please visit, and https://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2025-12/2025-CFA-Award-Booklet.pdf

A comprehensive listing of Southampton Town parks and recreation facilities, including more details on Hampton Park West, can be found at www.southamptontownny.gov/parksrec