New York state will fund 88 revitalization
\nand rehabilitation projects, totaling $71.7
\nmillion, to be completed at 60 state parks
\nand historic sites across this year.<\/p>\n
The overall project is dubbed NY Parks
\n2020, a multi-year commitment to leverage
\na broad range of private and public funding
\nto invest approximately $900 million in
\nState Parks from 2011 to 2020. In the Capital
\nRegion, there will be eight projects totaling
\n$3.8 million, including three in Saratoga State
\nPark and one in Moreau Lake State Park in
\nGansevoort, state officials said.<\/p>\n
“New York is home to some of the top
\noutdoor recreational and historic sites in
\nthe world and it is critical that we safeguard
\nthem for generations to come,” Gov. Andrew
\nCuomo said. “With this funding, we are
\nbuilding on our past success in improving
\nthe infrastructure of our state parks and
\ndeveloping them into economic engines for
\nlocal communities.”<\/p>\n
Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic
\nPreservation Commissioner Rose Harvey said
\nthe projects “will not only help fix and restore
\naging park infrastructure but also enhance
\nour environment, connect people to healthy,
\nactive outdoor recreation and energize local
\neconomies.”<\/p>\n
The Saratoga projects include:<\/p>\n
Installation of a “green” parking lot at
\nRoosevelt Baths, $55,000; and installation
\nof high-efficiency heating boilers, $400,000
\nOngoing rehabilitation of historic Spa campus
\nbuildings and grounds, $300,000.<\/p>\n
At Moreau Lake State Park, state crews
\nwill construct five new rental cabins in the
\ncampground area at a cost of $700,000.<\/p>\n
The governor committed $110 million to
\nthe effort in the 2015-16 state budget. In
\naddition to the projects announced today,
\nthe 2015-16 budget will provide for various
\nsystem-wide improvements, such as investments
\nin energy efficiency, technology,
\nnatural resource stewardship, and trail projects;
\nand allocates funding for emergencies,
\nengineering and construction oversight, and
\ndesign of future year projects.<\/p>\n
This year’s funding will launch 88 major
\nconstruction projects across the state, including
\nexpanding camping options at Buttermilk
\nFalls, Evangola, Four Mile Creek, Golden Hill
\nand Moreau Lake State Parks; modernizing
\nthe bathhouses that anchor the swimming
\nareas at Allegany, Fort Niagara, and Hamlin
\nBeach State Parks; improving athletic facilities
\nat Gantry Plaza and Riverbank state
\nparks; and continuing multi-year plans to
\nrestore the historic and aesthetic grandeur
\nof Niagara Falls and Jones Beach State Parks.<\/p>\n
The projects make up the next phase of the
\nlong-term NY Parks 2020 plan, which follows
\nseven strategic priorities:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Making comprehensive investments in
\nthe state’s most popular flagship parks to
\nensure they remain relevant throughout the
\n21st Century;<\/p>\n
\u2022 Targeting investments to projects that
\npromote healthy, active outdoor recreation;<\/p>\n
\u2022 Ensuring people from all walks of life
\nhave opportunities to connect with parks;<\/p>\n
\u2022 Replacing well used but worn out public
\nuse facilities and critical infrastructure that
\nhave been neglected too long;<\/p>\n
\u2022 Preserving historic sites and cultural
\nassets;<\/p>\n
\u2022 Ensuring proper stewardship of some of
\nthe state’s most unique ecosystems, including
\nmaking them more resilient to extreme
\nweather; and<\/p>\n
\u2022 Leveraging the tourism impact of state
\nparks to energize local economies.
\nExecutive Director of Parks & Trails NY
\nRobin Dropkin said the park system is the
\noldest, and one of the most heavily visited, in
\nthe nation, contributing $2 billion annually
\nto the state’s economy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
New York state will fund 88 revitalization and rehabilitation projects, totaling $71.7 million, to be completed at 60 state parks and historic sites across this year. The overall project is dubbed NY Parks 2020, a multi-year commitment to leverage…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[57,59,102],"class_list":["post-16795","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-business-news","tag-business-news","tag-capital-region","tag-ny-state"],"yoast_head":"\r\n