​For over 75 years, Sunset Park on Main Street in Port Washington has been the home of the Port Washington Police Athletic League, otherwise known as PAL, led by board members Stuart Lieblein, Richard L'Esperance, and Rob Nachimson. Currently, over 1,500 Port Washington children are playing sports at Sunset Park with PAL and the Port Washington Soccer Club, who also makes the Park their home. PAL has a long history of wonderful people who have volunteered, administrated, and coached at the Park. Coaches like Tom Brown, George Mahoney, Michael Leeolou, Dave Powers, Matt Holzer, Tom Vesters and Brandon Kurz gave years of their time to ensure a safe and enjoyable atmosphere for all Port residents. 

Sunset Park is in danger of being transferred to the Town of North Hempstead for nothing in return. Sunset Park is owned by the Port Washington Water Pollution Control District. It is the goal of the District to transfer this land to the Town with no strings attached. This means, PAL will have to go. PAL's President, Stuart Lieblein, is convinced that the Water Pollution Control District will transfer the land without any input from the community. "Sunset Park could easily be donated to PAL. Our lawyers have looked into this, but the District prefers to give the land to the Town for nothing in return. Sunset Park would remain a park under PAL. We are the fastest growing sports organization in Port Washington. It makes no sense to transfer the land to the Town after all we have to done to enhance PAL at Sunset Park," said Stuart. 

PAL's neighbors at Sunset Park, the Port Washington Chamber of Commerce and the Sousa Bandshell are also in great danger of being removed from the Park. These organizations have resided at the Park for decades and are part of the backbone of this community. Rob Nachimson stated, "I have lived in Port Washington since 2001. My children have participated in PAL programs at Sunset Park since 2009. Along the way, I have coached my children in baseball and softball and I joined the PAL board almost ten years ago. I enjoy volunteering my time and helping to build the Port Washington sports community. It is disheartening to learn that the Town of North Hempstead wants to take over the property after the commitments that board members, coaches, and volunteers have put forward for decades at PAL." 

Through the years, many Port Washington families helped raise funds to maintain Sunset Park for Port Washington children. The Dejana family has donated thousands of dollars to help PAL upkeep this land. More recently, the L'Esperance family donated $250,000 to rebuild the PAL clubhouse.

The clubhouse has been completely remodeled for the Port Washington children. It features multiple TVs with Hulu, video games, table tennis, air hockey, a new gym for our athletes, and a brand new snack bar. It truly is an amazing benefit for PAL players. In honor of the L'Esperance family's contribution, the clubhouse has been named the Richard C. L'Esperance Clubhouse.

Richard's ability to bring people together was unmatched. There is no better way to bring a community together than through youth sports. Richard left behind 7 grandchildren that are all active young athletes. 

Richard passed away on April 30th of 2025, but before he passed, he offered the following advice: “Work hard, love your parents, and bring only goodness to the world.” 

Richard's oldest son, Richard (Richie), now serves on the Board of Directors at PAL and is intent on continuing to honor his father's legacy at Sunset Park. "My father cared about Port Washington children and keeping them active on local sports fields. We want the Park to remain for Port Washington children," said Richie. 

As stated earlier, Sunset Park is owned by the Port Washington Water Pollution Control District, as is Lions Field in Port Washington. In the late 1940s, the District wisely decided to license out Sunset Park to PAL to allow children to play in the park for decades to come. Shortly thereafter, the District allocated Lions Field to Port Washington Youth Activities (PYA), which is another prospering sports organization for children in Port Washington. 

As per Rob Nachimson, "PAL has operated programs under a license agreement with Port Washington Water Pollution Control District at zero cost to the town residents. If the Town takes it over, it will be paid for by the residents. I’m also concerned about the Town Of North Hempstead’s ability to maintain the property. Other areas they maintain are neglected. Look at how dangerous it is to walk along the town dock. There are actual sink holes along the walking path. During my involvement we have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for improvements to renovate the clubhouse, fix the lights, build a retaining wall, add a storage shed, install a sprinkler system, fix the backstop and more. Continuous improvements are needed at the Park and this is better accomplished when it is not run as a town park. Keep Sunset Park in Port Washington. Let it be managed and enjoyed by its residents for generations to come." 

From 1983 to 2022 (39 years), Donald A. Kurz served as a Port Washington Water Pollution Control District Commissioner. While serving, he always made sure that PAL and PYA had fields to play on. To this day, his favorite not-for-profit organizations are the PAL and PYA Little Leagues. He would say, "I used to love to watch my own children play sports at Sunset Park and Lions Field. Now I enjoy seeing my grandchildren play there." 

Donald has also volunteered for the Port Washington Fire Department for over fifty years and has served on the Board of Directors of Nassau Knolls Cemetery, the Port Washington Lions Club, and is an active member of the Manhasset Bay Sportsmen's Club. Donald just received the highest honor that a Lions Club member can receive, The Melvin Jones Fellowship Award.

Donald's family-owned businesses, Kurz Oil and Plumbing Pro,  have served the Port Washington community since the 1940s and have been major benefactors of the PAL and PYA Little Leagues for over forty years. His son, Brandon Kurz, now co-owner and operator of Plumbing Pro, is taking the lead in opposing the transfer of the land to the Town. 

As commissioner, Donald Kurz helped oversee this land for the past four decades. His son, Brandon, is also intent on making sure his father's legacy continues at Sunset Park. Brandon was elected as one of the commissioners at the Port Washington Water Pollution Control District  after his father retired. Brandon was the Executive Director of PYA for nine  and a half years at Lions Field, before moving to PAL to help save Sunset Park. The public was well aware of his roles and still elected him. He helped build and facilitate fourteen new programs since last fall. As one of the commissioners, Brandon is fighting relentlessly to stop the transfer of the Park. "We have rebuilt PAL over the past year. The lights are on every night and the local businesses are really benefitting from it. Sunset Park hasn't been this busy since I was a child playing in PAL," said Brandon.

Further, the Kurz Family also has plans to turf the baseball field, resurface the basketball court, and make other considerable capital improvements. Brandon and his field crew have already expanded the infield, built new batting cages, and have maintained the property on a daily basis for the past year and a half.  The Kurz Family and PAL are committed to building a new and improved Sunset Park for all to enjoy. If the District transfers the land to the Town, it will stop the significant progress already made, the turf won't go down and the basketball court won't be resurfaced. 

Quotes Brandon, "My children are 5th generation Port Washington residents. People from outside of Port Washington are influencing crucial decisions that will affect our children's future. They do not realize the impact, nor will they ever be around to feel the impact once it's too late. The man who is most vocal on transferring the land lives in Albany. I'm just so confused as to what he and others stand to gain from this land transfer. In my two and a half years serving as commissioner, they haven't told me a single thing that makes any sense for Port Washington residents. Sunset Park could be shared with up to twenty two other villages, restricting the access for Port Washington children's sports. I also don't trust that the Town will even keep it a park. They've recently rezoned the waterfront property in the direct area of Sunset Park and did so without the Town being given appropriate notice to weigh in. The District will maintain that Port residents are paying tax dollars towards the maintenance of the field, but PAL and I maintain the fields with no help from anyone. Between PYA and PAL, my crew and I have maintained Port Washington fields for eleven years now . We have delivered a safe and fun atmosphere for our children year in and year out. The District will question my integrity. They will say I'm a potential conflict of interest, but it was never a conflict of interest until I got in the way of their land transfer. They have been trying to force me off the board since I spoke up about this topic. But, I believe my journey led me here to stand in their way. This potential transfer of land prevents further significant sports growth in Port Washington. The sports portion of the land should be donated to PAL and the baseball field should be named after my father. I make no apologies for attempting to honor Donald Kurz. If anyone in this town deserves this honor, it's him."

Donald is currently battling cancer and has been fighting for his life since December. He is home, comfortable, and happy. He sends his love to the Port Washington community. When we told him recently that we were trying to name Sunset Park's baseball field after him, his eyes lit up with delight.

Please sign our petition and help us spread the word! Attend next week's Water Pollution Control District's meeting at 8 a.m. at 70 Harbor Road in Port Washington and stand against the transfer of Sunset Park!

Let's honor Donald's long legacy the way it should be and help save Sunset Park for our children! As Donald always says, "Where there's a will, there's a way!"