Floral Park

Floral Park is the name given to both a neighborhood in New York City and an incorporated village in Nassau County. The Nassau County village’s borders overlap into the Town of North Hempstead and the Town of Hempstead, which both provide a range of administrative services. Sixteen thousand residents call Floral Park home.

The village is very self-contained, with its own police force and television studio, which creates programming for a local channel. The programs feature news about local government, community organizations, and schools. Floral Park’s public library loans materials and organizes a wide variety of programs. Though Jericho Turnpike, one of Nassau County’s major roads, passes through Floral Park and is lined with stores, restaurants and services, Tulip Avenue is also important commercially. This shopping area features bars, pizzerias and mom-and-pop stores.

Recreation options are numerous. Heritage Park, located near the village hall, features a gazebo and lovely gardens. A pool and recreation complex with a skating rink, basketball and volleyball courts, and an arts and crafts shelter is accessible by residents only. A former storm basin was recently converted into the Centennial Gardens Bird Sanctuary, a 12-acre passive park. The recreation department organizes programs for children, adults and seniors.

The village is served by two separate elementary and secondary districts. The Floral Park-Bellerose School District consists of two schools with kindergarten through sixth grade. Approximately 1,600 students attend school in the elementary district, which has strong scores on New York State exams. The Sewanhaka Central High School District, one of only three high school districts in Nassau, serves the village’s secondary students. Two of the district’s five high schools are located in Floral Park. Floral Park High School and Sewanhaka High School house roughly the same number of students, though Sewanhaka contends with a 22% percent poverty rate, while Floral Park’s is only 3%. Though scores at Floral Park are higher on seventh and eighth grade reading and math exams as well as high school-level Regents exams, Sewanhaka does not fare terribly. However, the high school district has been cited by the state as needing improvement in secondary language arts.

Floral Park escaped much of the postwar development boom which occurred across most of Nassau County during the 1950s because most of the village was developed by then. Single-family homes, mostly constructed during the 1920s and 1930s, comprise the bulk of the inventory. A handful of homes were built even earlier than 1920. New homes exist, but are hard to find. In a nod to its neighbor Queens, Floral Park has several semi-detached single family homes. A limited number of multi-family homes, co-ops, condos and rentals are available.

I grew up in Floral Park. This small town has its own police station. Its not uncommon to see a police car about every 30 minutes patroling and keeping the streets safe for. Many people feel so safe in Floral Park you'll see their front doors wide open all day long. Kids play on front lawns and walk down streets by themselves. While not advisable for the whole kid napping scenerio you place your child in, it really is that safe.

For the size, the houses in Floral Park are quite small. Many don't have backyards larger then a two car garage... but you pay for the safety not the space. Taxes are quite high, but again... paying for the safety. Floral Park it patroled by both Nassua Police and Fire and Floral Park Police and Fire.

Floral Park isn't located near any subways, but has its own stop on the LIRR and bus stops. Floral Park has strict rules pertaining to businesses. Basically demanding all store must be mom and pop... at least when purchased. So though shopping in minimal... it is mom and pop which is nice.

Floral Park is also supprisingly known for its food. We have diverse resturants of all different cultures either located within the town or nearby... so anyone can feel at home.

What I think is most important, for kids, its a town that allows them to be independent but safe. The town has its own Park and Pool and has lots of fairs with rides and venders.Its erally hard to get in trouble in Floral Park. While in most towns its easy to get drugs and be mischievous... you cant really do that here... you have to leave the town for all that and bring it back.

The worst trouble you can get into is maybe loitering. And oddly enough the main hangout for the kids is a small park in front of a church. How much trouble can you get into in front a church really.

Very quiet and peaceful. You can see the stars at night. And near Belmont Racetrack.