Parks Could Close

Programs at the Taconic Outdoor Education Center are among those slated to go on the shopping block if Governor Paterson’s parks cuts become a reality. Annie Chesnut Gov. David Paterson is not winning friends with his latest suggestion to close more than 25 percent of New York State’s parks and historical sites in an effort to save taxpayers $29 million next year.

Two of the parks earmarked for closure are the Wonder Lake State Park in Kent and the Donald Trump State Park off the Taconic State Parkway at the Putnam Valley-Yorktown border.

At a news conference in Albany last Friday, the Governor said, “funding must be cut to schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and social services as well as parks and historic sites, because nothing is exempt from reduction. We cannot mortgage our state’s financial future through gimmicks and avoidance behavior.”

Joining the two local closures are several facilities in southern Dutchess County, including the James Baird State Park, Mills Norie State Park, and the Rudd Pond at the Taconic State Park.

Paterson also announced plans to eliminate interpretive programs at the Taconic Outdoor Education Center in Philipstown.

State Senator Vincent Leibell promised to fight to restore funding for parks, which he said, reached “record attendance levels at nearly 56 million visitors, an increase by 1.9 million from 2008. Parks represent a major tourism draw across our state.” The issue hits close to home for Leibell, whose residence overlooks Wonder Lake Park.

When contacted by the publisher of the Courier, Donald Trump said, “I gave them two of the best pieces of land in the state. I gave it to them for park purposes. It is very sad to see this happen.”

Putnam Legislature Chairman Vincent Tamagna charged that Gov. Paterson was “out of touch with the needs of the people of New York. Families can’t afford to take lavish vacations. They are staying home more and are utilizing these places, which are some of the most beautiful recreational areas found anywhere in America. I’ll be willing to bet that Gov. Paterson has never visited Wonder Lake or the Taconic Outdoor Center. This is a crime. All New Yorkers must fight to preserve our parks.”

Putnam Legislator Richard Othmer of Kent agreed: “The parks closings will hurt the little guy—families that can’t afford to visit Six Flags and other expensive family vacation attractions.”

Othmer admitted visiting Wonder Lake on a regular basis: “I ice fish, snowshoe and bird-watch. I’ve even run across people eagle watching. The governor must reconsider his ill-thoughtout suggestion.”

Tamagna called on the governor to “sit down and talk with local municipal leaders. We in Putnam brought an idea to the state last year urging the county to manage Wonder Lake as well as the Dockside at North Gate property in Cold Spring along the Hudson. County government could manage these facilities much better than the bureaucracy found in Albany.”

Tamagna talked about New York’s former governor and Putnam resident George Pataki: “Gov. Pataki knew the value of outdoor recreation. He often visited our parks and recreational areas in Kent, Patterson, Putnam Valley, and Philipstown. The new administration unfortunately represents only city and urban values while failing to appreciate the open space and out-of-doors. At the end of the day, even residents of the Big Apple are beginning to understand what it means to leave the city and visit the country to appreciate nature in its most wonderful form.”