News - Spa State Park forges ahead

Since then, the state has experienced a financial meltdown, but even with park officials being asked to cut spending, work on capital improvements and a 20 year master plan for the Saratoga Spa State Park continue forward.

Alane Ball Chinian, Regional Director of the Saratoga-Capital District Region of the state office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, said former Gov. Eliot Spitzer along with the state legislature had approved $135 million in capital funding in the 2008-09 state budget to address serious infrastructure deterioration throughout the state park system.

“We got off to a great start this year,” she said.

This positive begging hit a bump in the road when the state started feeling the effects of the current financial crisis and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation were forced to make budget cuts, which resulted in a 10 percent reduction in operation costs. Chinian said barring any news out of the legislature’s recent special session they did not expect to make any further cuts.

Park Manager Michael Greenslade said while the local state park system was forced to cut operation costs, it has continued forward with renovations and maintenance projects, including the renovation of six comfort stations and repaving and expanding walking and bike paths throughout the park.

Construction will continue during the winter months and will not disrupt the normal programs the park hosts each winter, including skating, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, Greenslade said.

Chinian said the park received a great shot in the arm of capital money in the 2008 budget, which they have already spent on capital improvements to the park.

“There are lots of projects on the books for round two and that is a question mark for us next year,” she said.

In 2007, the state office of parks decided to create a new 20-year master plan for the Spa State Park. The Saratoga Spa State Park is the first park to begin a new master plan in the state park system. It is currently moving forward despite the financial crisis facing the state, Chinian said.

Since beginning the project, the group has taken input from residents, park officials and groups residing in the park. They have also moved forward with an in-depth study into the water that flows under the park. She said they also hope to implement a traffic study and the possibility of new signage throughout the park.

“We are optimistic we will be able to proceed with these studies in the future,” she said.

Chinian said most of the planning has been conducted by the state planning bureau and the staff at the park. Park officials expect to hold more informational workshops prior to unveiling the final plan sometime in the spring.