Governor Cuomo Announces $71 Million in Parks 2020 Improvement Projects
Albany, NY - April 21, 2015 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that 88 revitalization and rehabilitation projects, totaling $71.7 million, will be completed at 60 State parks and historic sites across New York this year. The announcement is in honor of Earth Week, April 19-25, a weeklong celebration of New York’s commitment and accomplishments to protecting our environment, conserving open space, increasing access to the state’s vast and magnificent natural resources, implementing clean energy initiatives and preparing for the effects of climate change.
“New York is home to some of the top outdoor recreational and historic sites in the world and it is critical that we safeguard them for generations to come,” Governor Cuomo said. “With this funding, we are building on our past success in improving the infrastructure of our state parks and developing them into economic engines for local communities.”
Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Rose Harvey said, “Governor Cuomo is leading the transformation of the State park system that will have modern facilities, offer rewarding recreational and educational experiences, and provide better access for all. The NY Parks 2020 projects announced today will not only help fix and restore aging park infrastructure but also enhance our environment, connect people to healthy, active outdoor recreation and energize local economies.”
The projects are part of the Governor’s NY Parks 2020 plan, a multi-year commitment to leverage a broad range of private and public funding to invest approximately $900 million in State Parks from 2011 to 2020. The Governor committed $110 million to the effort in the 2015-16 State Budget. In addition to the projects announced today, the 2015-16 budget will provide for various system-wide improvements, such as investments in energy efficiency, technology, natural resource stewardship, and trail projects; and allocates funding for emergencies, engineering and construction oversight, and design of future year projects.
This year’s funding will launch 88 major construction projects across the state, including expanding camping options at Buttermilk Falls, Evangola, Four Mile Creek, Golden Hill and Moreau Lake State Parks; modernizing the bathhouses that anchor the swimming areas at Allegany, Fort Niagara, and Hamlin Beach State Parks; improving athletic facilities at Gantry Plaza and Riverbank state parks; and continuing multi-year plans to restore the historic and aesthetic grandeur of Niagara Falls and Jones Beach State Parks.
The projects make up the next phase of the long-term NY Parks 2020 plan, which follows seven strategic priorities:
- Making comprehensive investments in the State’s most popular flagship parks to ensure they remain relevant throughout the 21st Century;
- Targeting investments to projects that promote healthy, active outdoor recreation;
- Ensuring people from all walks of life have opportunities to connect with parks;
- Replacing well used but worn out public use facilities and critical infrastructure that have been neglected too long;
- Preserving historic sites and cultural assets;
- Ensuring proper stewardship of some of the State’s most unique ecosystems, including making them more resilient to extreme weather; and
- Leveraging the tourism impact of State Parks to energize local economies.
Executive Director of Parks & Trails NY Robin Dropkin said, “Our iconic park system is the oldest, and one of the most heavily visited, in the nation, contributing $2 billion annually to the state’s economy. Thanks to the strong commitment of Governor Cuomo, the sustained investment in the restoration and revitalization of New York’s 215 state parks and historic sites will enable these treasured places to more fully realize their potential as economic engines for local communities and as destinations for healthy outdoor recreation for all New Yorkers.”
Executive Director of the Open Space Institute’s Alliance for New York State Parks Program Erik Kulleseid said, “What better way to commemorate spring and Earth Week than to celebrate the next cycle of revitalization and rehabilitation projects that will make New York’s wonderful state parks even more inviting, educational and extraordinary. From flagship parks to regional gems, state parks are undergoing a transformation unlike anything this state has ever seen. New Yorkers are grateful to Governor Cuomo and the legislature for renewing their commitment to New York’s most spectacular natural treasures.”
Construction projects will take place in the following regions:
Capital Region – $3.6 million for 8 projects
|
Cherry Plain State Park |
Replace Deteriorated Picnic Area Comfort Station |
$600,000 |
|
Grafton Lakes State Park |
Rehabilitate 1969 Sewage Treatment Plant |
$750,000 |
|
Grafton Lakes State Park |
Rehabilitate Two Picnic Area Comfort Stations |
$300,000 |
|
Moreau Lake State Park |
Construct Five New Rental Cabins in Campground Area |
$700,000 |
|
Olana State Historic Site |
Olana Site Improvements – Phase One |
$500,000 |
|
Saratoga Spa State Park |
Install ‘Green’ Parking Lot At Roosevelt Baths |
$55,000 |
|
Saratoga Spa State Park |
Install High Efficiency Heating Boilers |
$400,000 |
|
Saratoga Spa State Park |
Ongoing Rehabilitation of Historic Spa Campus Buildings and Grounds |
$300,000 |
Central Region – $3.2 million for 4 projects
|
Green Lakes State Park |
Construct New Park Entrance Including Utilities – Additional Funding |
$200,000 |
|
Green Lakes State Park |
Improve Park Hiking Trails |
$100,000 |
|
Green Lakes State Park |
Rehabilitate Golf Course Clubhouse and Pro Shop – Additional Funding |
$2,150,000 |
|
Green Lakes State Park |
Rehabilitate Pine Wood Campground |
$750,000 |
Finger Lakes Region – $6.7 million for 9 projects
|
Ganondagan State Historic Site |
Complete Seneca Art & Education Center- Exhibits and |
$1,250,000 |
|
Genesee Valley Greenway |
Greenway Trail Improvements Including Access Points, Bridges and Stream Crossings |
$500,000 |
|
Hamlin Beach State Park |
Rehabilitate Historic Swimming Beach Bathhouse |
$2,500,000 |
|
Letchworth State Park |
Upgrade Internet and Phone Service to the New Nature Center, Park Office, and Other Park Facilities |
$700,000 |
|
Letchworth State Park |
Construct New Nature Center – Additional Funding |
$1,000,000 |
|
Letchworth State Park |
Install Automation at Castile Entrance |
$250,000 |
|
Sonnenberg Gardens State Historic Site |
Restore Aviary Building to Create Public Event Space |
$225,000 |
|
Multiple |
Install Accessible Paths to Playgrounds |
$125,000 |
|
Multiple |
Repair and Replacement of Failing Roofs |
$125,000 |
Long Island Region – $18.5 million for 10 projects
|
Belmont Lake State Park |
Connect Park to Suffolk County Sewage Treatment System |
$1,000,000 |
|
Bethpage State Park |
Golf Course Improvements |
$500,000 |
|
Bethpage State Park |
Improve Energy Efficiency of the Clubhouse's HVAC System |
$2,600,000 |
|
Caumsett State Park |
Septic System Improvements |
$210,000 |
|
Hither Hills State Park |
Campground Improvements Including New Restroom Facility |
$1,000,000 |
|
Jones Beach State Park |
Comprehensive Jones Beach Revitalization Initiative |
$10,000,000 |
|
Robert Moses State Park |
Solar PV System Installation |
$1,440,000 |
|
Sunken Meadow State Park |
Construct New Park Entrance Toll Plaza |
$1,000,000 |
|
Sunken Meadow State Park |
Install New Septic Systems |
$390,000 |
|
Wildwood State Park |
Install New Septic Systems |
$340,000 |
Mid-Hudson Region – $13.4 million for 18 projects
|
Bear Mountain State Park |
Repair and Upgrade Parking Area At Bear Mountain Inn |
$750,000 |
|
Bear Mountain State Park |
Replace Roof On Merry-Go-Round Building |
$150,000 |
|
Bear Mountain State Park |
Sewage Treatment Plant Upgrades and Repairs |
$1,100,000 |
|
Harriman State Park |
Continue Renovation of Children's Group Camp |
$500,000 |
|
Harriman State Park |
Tiorati Brook Bridge Replacement |
$925,000 |
|
James Baird State Park |
Park Drinking Water System Improvements |
$350,000 |
|
John Jay Homestead State Historic Site |
Paint Exterior of Historic Main House |
$150,000 |
|
Mills-Norrie State Park |
Norrie Point Environmental Center- Roof and Building Improvements |
$2,040,000 |
|
Mills-Norrie State Park |
Park Electrical System Improvements |
$1,000,000 |
|
Minnewaska State Park Preserve |
Park Improvements Including a New Park Office, Public |
$2,000,000 |
|
Minnewaska State Park Preserve |
Redevelop Park Entrance to Improve Traffic Flow |
$350,000 |
|
Multiple |
Rehabilitation of Six Bridges in Harriman and Bear Mountain |
$900,000 |
|
Nyack Beach State Park |
Improve Entrance Roadway and Retaining Wall |
$500,000 |
|
Staatsburgh State Historic Site |
Install Energy Efficient Boilers and Remove Fuel Tanks |
$335,000 |
|
Walkway Over The Hudson State Park |
Deck Repair and Maintenance |
$75,000 |
|
Walkway Over The Hudson State Park |
Improvements To Newly Acquired Parkland At The East Park Entrance |
$250,000 |
|
Walkway Over The Hudson State Park |
Walkway Railing Maintenance |
$1,800,000 |
|
Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site |
Restore the Historic Tower of Victory |
$250,000 |
Mohawk Valley – $500,000 for 3 projects
|
Delta Lake State Park |
Upgrade the Campground's Water and Electric System |
$160,000 |
|
Glimmerglass State Park |
Replace Leaking Bathhouse Roof |
$150,000 |
|
Johnson Hall State Historic Site |
Convert Vacant Historic Blockhouse Into Interpretive Space |
$200,000 |
New York City – $6.3 million for 11 projects
|
Bayswater Point State Park |
Stabilization of Historic Sunset Lodge |
$80,000 |
|
East River State Park |
Construct Contact Station and Storage Building |
$350,000 |
|
Gantry Plaza State Park |
Rehabilitate Playground and Recreational Courts |
$475,000 |
|
Riverbank State Park |
Cultural Building Infrastructure Improvements |
$140,000 |
|
Riverbank State Park |
Complete Repairs to the Ice Rink Surface |
$180,000 |
|
Riverbank State Park |
Improve Gateway Area From Riverside Park to North Stair Tower |
$300,000 |
|
Riverbank State Park |
Install Sensory Play Field |
$950,000 |
|
Riverbank State Park |
Park Access Improvements |
$795,000 |
|
Riverbank State Park |
Park Infrastructure Repairs |
$520,000 |
|
Roberto Clemente State Park |
Baseball Field Improvements |
$270,000 |
|
Roberto Clemente State Park |
Upper Plaza Reconstruction |
$2,200,000 |
North Country – $3.6 million for 6 projects
|
Cumberland Bay State Park |
Construct Two Campground Shower/Restroom Buildings |
$2,200,000 |
|
Keewaydin State Park |
Regional Office Energy Efficiency Projects |
$250,000 |
|
Kring Point State Park |
Improve Electric Service in Point Camping Area |
$80,000 |
|
Macomb Reservation State Park |
Dam Repairs |
$250,000 |
|
Wellesley Island State Park |
Minna Anthony Commons Nature Center- Infrastructure Improvements |
$350,000 |
|
Wellesley Island State Park |
Pave Main Entrance Roadway |
$500,000 |
Southern Tier – $1.9 million for 6 projects
|
Allan Treman State Park |
Complete 1.4-Mile Cayuga Inlet Recreational Trail |
$150,000 |
|
Black Diamond Trail |
Complete Phase One of Recreational Trail: 8.4 Miles from Taughannock State Park to Ithaca |
$500,000 |
|
Buttermilk Falls State Park |
Gorge Trail and Stairs Improvements, Including Stabilization |
$200,000 |
|
Buttermilk Falls State Park |
Install 15 Rustic Cabins in Campground |
$120,000 |
|
Robert Riddell State Park |
Improvements to Enhance Public Access to Undeveloped Park |
$75,000 |
|
Stony Brook State Park |
Replace Drinking Water System |
$880,000 |
Western New York – $14 million for 13 projects
|
Allegany State Park |
Install Bear-Proof Food Lockers in Cain Hollow Campground |
$75,000 |
|
Allegany State Park |
Repair and Resurface Park Roadways |
$1,685,000 |
|
Allegany State Park |
Replace Quaker Lake Beach Bathhouse |
$1,175,000 |
|
Beaver Island State Park |
Replace Golf Club Shop Destroyed by Fire |
$2,000,000 |
|
DeVeaux Woods State Park |
Repair and Resurface Deteriorated Park Roads |
$400,000 |
|
Evangola State Park |
Park Entrance Road Resurfacing |
$250,000 |
|
Fort Niagara State Park |
Construct New Swimming Bathhouse |
$2,500,000 |
|
Knox Farm State Park |
Repairs to Historic Structures, Including Mansion, Equestrian Barn and Greenhouse |
$250,000 |
|
Lake Erie State Park |
Replace Vacant Administrative Building |
$225,000 |
|
Multiple |
Install 12 Camping Yurts - Four Mile Creek, Golden Hill and Evangola State Parks |
$300,000 |
|
Multiple Fishing Access Improvements |
Fishing Docks and Related Fishing Access Projects in Five Niagara Region Parks: Artpark, Fort Niagara, Four Mile Creek, Golden Hill and Wilson-Tuscarora |
$600,000 |
|
Niagara Falls State Park |
Continuation of Niagara Falls State Park Revitalization Initiative |
$4,375,000 |
|
Old Fort Niagara State Historic Site |
Ongoing Historic Fort Masonry Repair |
$200,000 |
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees 180 state parks and 35 historic sites, which are visited by 62 million people annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.nysparks.com, connect on Facebook, or follow on Twitter.