What Happened to the Pine Barrens Trails Center Sign?

 . . . and to public information and access to parking and trails in northern Manorville?

by Mindy Block

​Quality Parks has been following the Pine Barrens Trail Center for several years now. Once Helen's Country Kitchen it became a Trail Center for the LIGTC. It was later dedicated and renamed to be the Raymond P. Corwin Trail Information Center.  Then remained closed for several years.  

Manorville Historical Society featuring Helens Country Kitchen in a recent public educational tour or Manorville.

Quality Parks formed a coalition to save the Pine Barrens Trail Center, wanting several organizations to share the space. We were turned down by Suffolk County Parks because they wanted one organization to lease it. 

We turned to the Manorville Historical Society for help. And they started the long process of working with Suffolk County Parks, but were left holding their hands out in expectation. MHS had meanwhile collaborated with Boy Scout Troup 221 to renovate El's Wampmissick Trail that Kim Darrow (LIGTC) had spent hours working on, as an Eagle Project completed by Stephen Hines.

Yet it was the well financed Brookhaven Bike Coop took the lease and had the funds to renovate not only the Trail Center but the building across the street which environmental remediation work.  And the official dedication sign disappeared. 

And the official dedication sign disappeared. (Photo taken March 2022)

Janet Hann who runs the Monday crew, and who is always looking for volunteer trail maintainers, still has access to the storage shed. But she wondered if folks who were passing by would also be wondering if they still park at the lot and access the trails.

And of the sign? What if ....

What if we dedicated the kiosk to be the Raymond P. Corwin Pine Barrens Trails Kiosk?  To which my better half, smiled approvingly.  But it's not up to us anymore, it's up to you. Get active and call Suffolk County.