Village Clerk Brian Ridgway and Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of Cultural and Recreational Affairs Kevin Ocker had fun posing in the Alco-6 racer. Various members of the Garden City Board of Trustees and Village administration took turns admiring and posing for photographs in the “Black Beast,” a 1909 Alco-6 racer, before the start of the June 17th Board meeting.

Garden City resident Cyril Smith asked the car’s owner, Howard Kroplick of East Hills parked outside Village Hall to support his friend, Garden City resident Cyril Smith. Smith has sent a letter to the Board asking them to consider converting the segment of the original 1908 Long Island Motor Parkway still located in Garden City into parkland.

The portion of land runs approximately .4 of a mile between Clinton Road and Vanderbilt Court to Raymond Court. The 1908 concrete (it was the first concrete highway in America) is still there along with some guardrails. Presently vacant land, Smith hopes the Village will ultimately decide to make the area a park, which would include a history walk (with markers) and a nature trail for Stewart School. “It can demonstrate Garden City’s role in early automotive history,” Smith told The Garden City News.

The Beast won the Vanderbilt Cup Race in 1909 and 1910, which Smith said was one of the most prestigious auto races at the time. The racecourse included several Nassau County streets and the Long Island Motor Parkway.

Kroplick purchased the car in 2009. He reconditioned the car body and engine to make it driveable and representative of its 1909 form. To demonstrate how well the car operates, he took several runs around the parking lot at Village Hall to the delight of those gathered.

Many took a turn sitting in the driver’s seat, including Deputy Mayor Donald Brudie, Second Deputy Mayor John Watras, Village Clerk Brian Ridgway, Village Justice Allen Mathers, Village Auditor James Olivo and Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of Cultural and Recreational Affairs Kevin Ocker. Several “drivers” gave the thumb’s up sign, which in the United States means “great or awesome car,” according to Kroplick.

On June 30, the “Black Beast” will be parked outside the Museum of the City of New York, located at 1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd St. in Manhattan from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. for “Speakeasy” night. The museum’s exhibitions, including “Cars, Culture and the City,” will stay open late and cocktails and music from the Prohibition Era will be offered.