Town of Babylon public officials are eager to show off a new nine-acre park on the site where one of Long Island?s hottest nightclubs once stood.

The Oak Beach Inn was a popular stop on the nightlife circuit for decades, but area residents say they had to endure choking traffic and vandalism from rowdy patrons. Inn owner Bob Matherson eventually sold the property to a developer who intended to build condos and a sewage treatment plant. Locals objected to that plan as well, so Suffolk County stepped in and bought the land to create a town-run park.

Former Suffolk Executive Pat Haplin chaired the committee to revitalize the site, which now boasts a refurbished fishing pier, new bulkheads, a new beach area, ramp access to kayakers and windsurfers and 500 feet of walkway. Officials say the second phase calls for road and drainage projects. The town is also exploring private sector development including shops and a restaurant.