A new sign on a meticulously landscaped triangular piece of property on Belmont Avenue in North Babylon welcomes visitors to the Belmont Lake Estates community. But according to the residents, civic leaders and public officials who gathered there last week for a ribbon cutting ceremony, the sign represents much more.

"This is not just a sign," said Sabre M, president of the Belmont Lakes Estates civic association relating the story of two bricklayers, one of whom responded when asked what he was doing that he was laying down bricks one after another. The other responded that he was building a cathedral.

"This is our cathedral. It represents a community that is working together as neighbors and friends. It is a community working with its public officials. It is a community that has pride in itself."

The sign is one of four that will be put up in the community by the Town of Babylon. The one unveiled last week is on state property and was landscaped with funds from Suffolk County.

"We were able to do this because we had many people working together and getting involved to make it happen," said Sabre.

The Town’s Beautification Committee is working with the residents on the program.

"This project is just the beginning of many things happening and continuing to happen here," said Babylon Town Supervisor Steve Bellone. "But it would not have happened unless people in the community worked together; thank you for giving us the opportunity to work with you and making it easier for us because together we can get things done."

"Projects like this show that the people who live here care about their community," said New York State Senator Owen Johnson.

"When people care about the community they live in, it shows," said New York State Assemblyman Robert Sweeney. "Today you are showing the pride you have in the place you live."

There was a sign at the location, but it was not very attractive, and the property was poorly maintained. Twana Patterson, a resident of the community who attended the ribbon cutting ceremony with her children remembers it well. "It was small and there were weeds all around it," she said. "This is so much more beautiful."

The civic association and the Town will be putting up signs on Hilltop Avenue an Lakeway Drive, Wyandanch and August Road as well as another location that has not been determined. Working with state and town officials, the community also did a major clean up of a large stretch of vacant land on Hilltop between Straight Path and Southern State Parkway. Threatened by development, the community fought to keep it as open space.

"The land is state owned but the Town had an easement that ran through it," said Sal Buonomo, a state spokesman.

"We worked together with the state and the community to get it cleaned up," said Babylon Town Councilman Wayne Horsley. "It was a big job, but it looks great now.