Photo credit – PJ Balzer
The saying that’s plastered on a huge banner court side while also resounding through the park, “Brooklyn has Gersh park. Queens has Lincoln Park. Harlem has Rucker Park. Uptown has Dyckman Park. Long Island has Bolden Mack.”
The saying couldn’t be any truer for basketball players, spectators, coaches, and talent scouts from Mattituck all the way to Hempstead. There’s undeniable excitement in and around the park that stretches up and down our Island.
The Bolden Mack Park officially became a park in 1973. Babylon Town helped name the park after a hardworking and honorable gentleman who migrated from Virginia to North Amityville in the early 1900s. Mr. Mack worked tirelessly, planting and farming his own property which was close to the park. He loved doing so and kept on working right up until his death which was two weeks after his 110th birthday in 1975.
Since then, several of North Amityville’s community leaders have stepped up to upgrade and bring young lives to the park. Mike James played basketball for Amityville High School before playing division one college ball at Duquesne University and then for several teams in the NBA. James was a part of pouring love and resources back into the community he grew up in by helping upgrade and care for the park, so much so that North Amityville celebrates “Mike James Day” every July 29 at the park with food, music, giveaways, and, of course, basketball.
Much more recently, another long-time North Amityville resident and alumnus, Andrew Ayodeji, created the Bolden Mack summer league. This league was created to curb gun violence in North Amityville and the surrounding communities in the summertime when it would statistically spike. Since the league’s inception, it has drawn talent from literally up and down the island, which is ultimately impacting dozens of our communities. “The Mack” is the place to be, especially in the evening, whether you’re playing or just watching some of Long Island’s best basketball players and their summer league teams go head-to-head. It’s exciting, often high-flying, and a good preview of the upcoming high school basketball season. The league’s teams have catchy names and colorful uniforms that just add to the excitement.
When I pulled up to the park this week, which is located centrally on Great Neck Road in North Amityville, it was well before noon on an extremely hot and humid day. I was expecting to take a few photos of an empty park and its legendary courts. Yet, I was greeted by Coach Naz Mclamb of Ambitious Training along with Tymel Small and Amir Dickerson of Amityville High School and Ray Bradley of Copiague High School. Coach Naz and the young men were happy to show me around the park a little and explain some of the excitement surrounding the nightly summer league games. On the adjacent court was a few middle school aged kids practicing free throws and an elementary aged child whose mother was watching and assisting him in practicing lay-ups. The Bolden Mack Park was clearly oozing with positivity.
This park and its leaders are giving our young people something productive to do during the summer and warmer months. Not only is the park cultivating the game of basketball, but it’s also cultivating healthy relationships, productive conversations, and strengthening a community using a round ball. It’s cultivating discipline, a strong work ethic, teamwork, and leadership skills for kids in your community and mine. Thank you for the impact you’re having on our youth, North Amityville!
Bolden Mack Park is located at 3453 Great Neck Road in North Amityville.
