by Cliff Weathers
New York State Parks officials announced today that they plan to close 55 parks and historic sites and reduce services at other parks to help shrink the state’s $8.2 billion budget deficit. Several parks and sites located in Rockland County will be affected. The cuts are reportedly in addition to park services cuts implemented over the past two years, which included reduced services at Nyack Beach State Park. The affected parks and sites include:
- High Tor State Park. The pool will be closed.
- Stony Point Battlefield State Historic Site. The site will be closed.
- Tallman Mountain State Park. The pool will be closed.
- Harriman State Park. The Anthony Wayne park area will be closed and there will be reduced maintenance at group camps.
Unfortunately, there is now no public place in Orangetown where children can swim outdoors this summer. That is, unless some enterprising local politicians decide to do something about it. Perhaps the Town of Orangetown can convince the State to keep the pool open or rent the pool from the State. How about purchasing the pool at Tallman Mountain for a nominal amount to take it off the state’s hands? It certainly would be an inexpensive way of finally providing this town service.
Also, we should consider that our exceptional State Park system is a revenue and job generator for the State and the local economies near the parks. New York’s parks attract out-of-state tourists and generate up to $2 billion in annual economic activity. Every $1 of taxes spent on parks generates $5 in jobs and economic activity. So the loss of parks in Rockland county also means a loss of revenue and wealth.
In addition to these sites in Rockland, many other parks in the region will be affected:
- Knox Headquarters Historic Site (Orange County). The site will be closed.
- New Windsor Cantonment SHS (Orange County). The site will be closed.
- Schunnemunk State Park (Orange County). The park will be closed.
- Donald J. Trump State Park (Westchester County). The park will be closed.
- FDR (Roosevelt) State Park (Westchester County). Reduced swimming pool season.
- Hudson Highlands State Park (Putnam County). Arden Point Area will be closed.
- James Baird State Park (Dutchess County). Reduced golf season.
- Mills Norrie State Park (Dutchess County). Reduced golf season.
- Olana State Historic Site (Columbia County). Will close two days per week.
- Philipse Manor Hall Historic Site (Westchester County). The site will be closed.
- Rockefeller State Park Preserve (Westchester County). The park will be closed.
- Taconic Outdoor Education Center (Putnam County). The site will be closed.
- Taconic State Park – Rudd Pond (Dutchess County). The site will be closed.
- Wonder Lake State Park (Putnam County). The park will be closed.
The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation released this suggested list of closures and cuts today. The office is facing a $29 million cut in funding, which is about 16 percent of its annual budget. It’s fiscal year begins in April. The cuts are in addition to park services cuts implemented over the past two years, which included reduced services at Nyack Beach State Park.
See also: PTNY’s “Call to Action: Don’t Close My Park!”
This article is cross-posted at the Rockland Progressive Dems Web site.
luckey1 says:
We reap what we sow, someone said. It seems that we may have to choose? Do we want to be a society that spends valuable tax dollars pleading with citizens to do their civic duty by co-operating with the census? Do we want to be a society that spends valuable tax dollars to build speed bumps & humps and create endless pedestrian crosswalks ( which ad immeasurably to carbon pollution)? Do we want to be a society that feels it should provide ‘poopy’ bags for some millionaire to pick up their shiatsu’s poop while our community is hemorraging middle class folks? If so, I guess its by by parks?
February 21st, 2010 at 10:04 am
Cliff Weathers says:
The situation looks grave, almost hopeless. Orangetown will be the only town in Rockland without a public outdoor swimming facility.
Getting money from our State-level elected officials will be like squeezing water from a stone. So, if we can’t make a difference in the context of the town, then I don’t know of other options.
When public money is handed out from our elected officials in Albany it is rarely, if ever, used for the good of the general public. Instead, it is used to serve particular constituency subsections, corporate interests, or special interest groups. The $1.6 million grant for a new chicken slaughterhouse in New Square is a good example. Our State Senator has doled out the most discretionary funds—or member items—of any other State-level legislator in the nation, yet virtually none of that money goes to general welfare of his constituency; rather it goes to private groups or institutions that can help ensure his incumbency.
The State Senate is broken. Albany is in gridlock and the governor is being forced into using draconian, even Dickensian measures to balance a budget because Pataki’s millionaire’s tax cuts remain in place. The rich get breaks so they can better recreate, but working class families can’t afford vacations anymore. And what good are “staycations” when there’s much less places for recreation.
As I said, I’m not enthusiastic anything in Albany will change soon, so I’m not looking hopefully in that direction.
And although our current town supervisor and council majority (and our Town Clerk for that matter) are now beholden to the local chapter of the tea-bag movement, I think examining this at the town level is the best shot that we have. We’ve got to take measures into our own hands within Orangetown.
February 21st, 2010 at 11:56 am