Photo taken by Caroline Qian.

On August 19, 2024, a flash flood destroyed the Harbor Road dam that supported Stony Brook’s Mill Pond, draining the beloved landmark and cutting off a major route between the village center and Head of the Harbor. More than sixteen months later, the area sits untouched, with the reconstruction process stalled by seemingly endless finger-pointing, legal battles, and technicalities. In response, local citizens have organized rallies and advocacy groups to demand action.

The T. Bayles Minuse Mill Pond was once the heart of the village. Built over the dam, Harbor Road also separated the pond from the Stony Brook Grist Mill, which was constructed in 1699. With its sparkling waters and diverse wildlife, the pond represented the natural beauty and historic heritage of not only Stony Brook but of Long Island itself. 

On May 31, 2025, during a “Repair the Road” rally organized to question the lack of action, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Daniel Panico stated that the town was waiting for the Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) to accept ownership of Harbor Road. He also said that “[Brookhaven is] willing to do the project. The County of Suffolk, the County Executive, is willing to front the money for the entire project.” After a fourteen month long legal battle with the Village of the Head of the Harbor and the Town of Brookhaven over the ownership of Harbor Road, the non-profit WMHO finally claimed the road and sent in an application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

However, even months after WMHO’s application, there had been little progress from the Town. According to a Facebook group dedicated to the area’s reconstruction, Brookhaven had not drafted cost sharing arrangements with other municipalities, had not drafted a contingency plan if FEMA denied aid, had not ensured county funds, and had not entered into any local design services agreements with any engineering firms in their implied timeframe.

Due to the continued standstill, community members gathered on October 11th, 2025, for another organized protest. At the “Firetrucks Can’t Fly” rally, named to draw attention to the difficulty of emergency vehicle access to houses beyond the pond, protesters called for a temporary bridge to be constructed over the broken road. Another goal of the demonstration was to express that the public was still waiting for real reconstruction to begin, with chants such as “More than one year, not one shovel!” filling the air. According to Beth Zweig, one of the protest’s organizers and the leader of the aforementioned Facebook group, the rally’s purpose was to “raise awareness. We are not going to let up, we want to show that we are watching and that we are remaining vigilant. We want to keep the pressure and we want this to move along in a way where the first step doesn’t take a year and a half, and we don’t want step two to take another year.”

Many protesters also recognized that beyond safety concerns, the pond’s destruction also carried emotional significance. Dr. Ferdusi Shilpee, who generously allowed her property to be used as a meeting point for the rally, stated “this pond has memories of generations, and… I think it is our generation’s responsibility to fix this pond.”Another protester, Virginia Capon, shared a similar sentiment on the pond’s generational significance, saying, “I grew up here and that pond is where I went with my grandmother every Sunday. That pond is just part of my memory of what makes this community so welcoming and beautiful.”

More than two months after the October 11 rally and sixteen months after the storm, reconstruction efforts have still not begun. In early December 2025, it was announced that WMHO’s application for FEMA aid was denied because while road repair expenses are eligible for reimbursement, dam repairs are not. The Town of Brookhaven, Head of the Harbor, and Suffolk County have developed an alternative plan that involves constructing a road first to improve public safety and functionality. A temporary culvert or tunnel-like structure can be maintained underneath the road to allow some water to begin coming through to the pond. However, to fully restore the pond back to its original condition, the WMHO would need to independently manage the creation of a dam at a later date. The WMHO’s agreement with the new plan is essential, as reconstruction cannot start without it. Currently, the WMHO’s opinions on the new plan are not publicly known, as they have not approved the plan or responded to various news outlets requests for comments on it. 

Many residents feel disappointed and confused at the continued lack of action, as representatives of both the organization and of the Town were promising action even several months ago. Still, local advocates are not giving up. A group of more than 94 citizens will go to Brookhaven Town Hall on January 29, planning to directly speak to town officials and “ensure that Brookhaven upholds its promise to jumpstart the process of repairing Harbor Road.” 

During protests such as the October 11 rally, citizens of all ages and backgrounds showed up. One poster showed a picture of a protester from when she was a young girl, feeding the pond’s ducks, with the text “I’m still in love this pond.” Several days before the protest, a large banner was hung up over the wreckage of Harbor Road, asking “Is this Ward Melville’s heritage?” All this civic action demonstrates that the community is intent on repairing the dam.