BY MICHAEL RICONDA

Bardonia – For the first time since Hurricane Sandy, the miniature golf course at Germonds Park in Bardonia is accessible to the public. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on the evening of August 16, after which the public was invited to a free round of miniature golf from six to eight p.m at the reopened course. After the free Friday evening games, the park will charge four dollars for a round of golf.

During Superstorm Sandy, the $850,000 course could did not drain due to its lack of natural greens, causing the artificial greens on the course to peel and bubble from underlying flood water. Before turning to local taxpayers to fix the park, however, Clarkstown consulted FEMA.

“We were lucky in that when FEMA representatives came out and viewed it, they said it was certainly under the eligibility for reimbursement,” Clarkstown Supervisor Alex Gromack explained.

After damages to the greens had been assessed, the Town received $27,000 to make the necessary repairs and contributed $3,000 themselves for a combined total of $30,000. Repairs took two weeks to complete. The course will be open Sunday through Saturday from noon to eight p.m. until September 2, when it will close for the fall and winter seasons.