View bleak for state parks
John Boyd Thacher State Park is on the list of eight Capital Region sites to close as state budget deficit takes toll
By BRIAN NEARING, Staff writer
Click byline for more stories by writer.
First published: Saturday, February 20, 2010
ALBANY -- Eight state parks and historic sites in the Capital Region, including John Boyd Thacher State Park at the Helderberg Escarpment, would be closed this year to help narrow the cash-strapped state's budget deficit, according to plans released Friday.
Statewide, the plan calls for the closure of 41 parks and 14 historic sites, and service reductions at 23 parks and one historic site. The state system currently encompasses 178 parks and 35 historic sites.
"These actions were not recommended lightly, but they are necessary to address our state's extraordinary fiscal difficulties," said Carol Ash, commissioner of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
Ash's office came up with the cuts, which are expected to save about $6.3 million, in response to a 22 percent budget cut of more than $64 million to her department in Gov. David Paterson's proposed 2010-2011 budget.
Other sites in the Capital Region appeared on the closure list: the Bennington Battlefield State Park, Schodack Island State Park, and Hudson River Islands State Park, all in Rensselaer County; Schuyler Mansion Historic Site in the city of Albany; Max V. Shaul State Park and Schoharie Crossing Historic Site, both in Schoharie County; and Johnson Hall Historic Site in Fulton County.
"In an environment when we have to cut funding to schools, hospitals, nursing homes and social services, no area of state spending, including parks and historic sites, could be exempt from reduction," said Paterson.
Dan Keefe, a spokesman for the parks agency, could not say how the proposed closures would be carried out. He said the savings reflect seasonal employee and operating costs. The closings in the Capital Region were expected to save about $767,500, according to the office.
The parks' plan also counts on $4 million in new park and historic site fees still to be identified, and use of $5 million in new revenue redirected from the Environmental Protection Fund, which already faces a 35 percent cut under Paterson's budget.
Use of EPF funds -- which normally pays for land purchases, farmland protection, recycling, water quality and other conservation programs -- will require approval by the state Legislature. If lawmakers reject that action, Ash's office has prepared a list of another 34 parks that would be closed.
Capital Region parks on that fallback list include Grafton Lakes State Park, Cherry Plain State Park, and Fort Crailo State Historic Site, all in Rensselaer County; Minekill State Park in Schoharie County; and Peebles Island State Park in Saratoga County. Also, the Victoria Pool in Saratoga Spa State Park would be closed.
The list of park closures was first reported Sunday by Times Union columnist Fred LeBrun.
In Saratoga Springs, word that the Victoria Pool might not open this summer drew angry city residents to Tuesday's City Council meeting.
"We are completely horrified," said Louise Goldstein, founder of the Save the Victoria Pool Society, which fought to get the state to invest $1.5 million in repairs to the pool in 2003.
When word of potential park closures leaked out, the New Scotland Town Board adopted a resolution urging that Thacher Park remain open.
Numerous bridal parties have had their pictures taken at Thacher Park's dramatic overlook, said New Scotland Town Supervisor Tom Dolin, a former town justice.
"I've officiated at a number of weddings up there," he said. "It's a very popular wedding site for people from all over the region, not just New Scotland. And it's a year-round resource, and a very inexpensive place to take a family for a picnic."
Three Facebook pages have already started to support the park, said John Kilroy, chairman of Friends of Thacher Park. "What we want to do is mount a grassroots campaign, and urge people to contact their legislators and the governor's office," he said. A lobbying day on behalf of the parks is set for March 3 at the Capitol, he added.
Opponents said the closure plan would save relatively little cash and punish residents during a time of economic difficulty. Last season, the park system had about 56 million visitors, an increase of almost 2 million that set an all-time record. Bookings at cabins and campsites also set records.
"News of the closings will devastate many communities, as their citizens rely on parks for affordable, close-to-home recreation and their businesses rely on parks to bring in revenue," said Robin Dropkin, executive director of Parks & Trails New York, a statewide advocacy organization.
"The minuscule savings from closing 57 parks -- four-thousandths of 1 percent of the total state budget -- is laughable and pales in comparison to the hardship parks closings will cause New Yorkers, both in spirit and in pocket," she said.
The state parks agency will continue to make capital investments planned for this year, said office spokeswoman Eileen Larrabee. This includes $3 million for work at the bleach works in Peebles Island State Park in Waterford and $600,000 at Thompson Lake State Park.
Waterford Mayor Bert Mahoney was relieved to learn that Peebles Island was not on Friday's state closure list. Mahoney said closing the park would be a disaster. "People are concerned. They don't want to see anything happen to restrict our access," he said.
Several GOP Rensselaer County lawmakers also came out against the closing. "Closing these state parks will only punish residents who are already paying outrageous state taxes and can probably expect to pay even more because of the chaos in state government. Worst of all is that these closures will not reduce the state's budget gap. This is an unfair and wrong-headed move by the state," said Legislator Lester Goodermote.
"Some of these closures make no sense, especially at the wilder state parks that cost little to staff and maintain," said Neil Woodworth, executive director of the Adirondack Mountain Club.
"How are they going to keep people out of Thacher Park, which has a public highway running through it?'' Woodworth went on. "Unless they pay for security staff to keep people out, they will park along the side of the road and walk in. The situation would also leave the park and its facilities vulnerable to abuse and vandalism. Where are the cost savings in that?"
Brian Nearing can be reached at 454-5094 or at bnearing@timesunion.com. Staff reporters Dennis Yusko and Kenneth C. Crowe II contributed to this story.
Popular destinations at risk
Capital Region parks and historic sites slated to close and the annual amount to be saved:
John Boyd Thacher State Park, New Scotland, $255,000
Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site, Albany, $166,000
Schodack Island State Park, Schodack, $97,000
Bennington Battlefield Historic Site, Grafton, $20,000
Hudson River Islands State Park, Rensselaer County, $15,000
Johnson Hall Historic Site, Johnstown, $46,500
Schoharie Crossing Historic Site, Fort Hunter, $110,000
Max V. Shaul State Park, Fultonham, $18,000
Olana State Historic Site, in Hudson would be closed two days a week, saving $35,000.
Source: NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
The full list
For the complete statewide list on proposed state park closings, go to http://nysparks.state.ny.us
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Victoria Pool dodges budget cuts; other sites not so lucky
Published: Saturday, February 20, 2010
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More Photos
Click thumbnails to enlarge
The Schuyler Mansion in Albany remains in danger of being closed in order to save the state money. (TOM KILLIPS file photo/For The Saratogian)
Schodack Island State Park remains in danger of being closed in order to save the state money. (TOM KILLIPS file photo/For The Saratogian)
By PAUL POST, The Saratogian
Click to enlarge
4-year-old Josh Szwarcberg of Ballston Lake leaps into Victoria Pool at Saratoga Spa State Park in 2007. The pool has escaped a round of cuts announced Friday by Gov. David Paterson. (RICK GARGIULO file photo/The Saratogian)
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Victoria Pool at Saratoga Spa State Park has escaped the chopping block, but popular destinations such as Thacher park in the Helderbergs would close under a round of cuts announced Friday by Gov. David A. Paterson.
No Saratoga County facilities would be affected, but three Rensselaer County state parks are targeted — Bennington Battlefield, Hudson River Islands and Schodack Island.
They’re among 41 parks and 14 historic sites statewide that would close this year as part of Paterson’s plan to save $6.3 million from a projected $8.2 billion budget gap. Services would be reduced at another 23 parks and one historic site.
Another Rensselear County park — Grafton Lakes — that was thought to face closing was not on Paterson’s list.
“I’m grateful about Grafton, but it’s not a good way to do business,” said state Sen. Roy J. McDonald, R-Saratoga, who represents Saratoga and Rensselaer counties. “With the loss of population, upstate is becoming more of a minority. I want to make sure we’re not being taken advantage of.”
In New York City, only one park would close, but another’s pool wouldn’t open and its seniors and cultural programs would be eliminated.
Other Saratoga-Capital Region facilities facing closing are Schuyler Mansion in Albany, John Brown Farm Historic Site in Lake Placid, Johnson Hall Historic Site in Fulton County and Max V. Shaul State Park and Schoharie Crossing Historic Site in Schoharie County. There are 12 parks and eight historic sites in the region. The nine that face closing represent almost half that total.
“It will be devastating to the communities they’re in,” said Heather Mabee of Greenfield, chair of the Saratoga-Capital Region Parks Commission. “Local economies will be hard hit. When people visit parks and historic sites, they also shop and eat at restaurants. Think of all the summer jobs that will be lost for high school and college kids. Thacher Park alone has 40 seasonal employees.”
Statewide, parks usage increased by 2 million visits last year from 54 million to 56 million. Thacher Park hosts numerous day camps for the Capital District’s inner-city youth.
“I’m disappointed that Albany doesn’t realize how important parks are,” Mabee said. “People need them to get away from the stress of daily life, and we’re supposed to be encouraging kids to get outside and be more active instead of sitting in front of computers. Without parks, where do they go?”
She said permanent jobs such as administrators will be saved.
Assistant Regional Commissioner Robert Kuhn said, “We currently have three vacant park manager positions in our region. We have no park manager at Grafton Lakes or Minekill state parks and no assistant manager at Saratoga Spa State Park. Presumably, managers from closed facilities will be relocated to other facilities where we have vacancies.”
In terms of numbers, the Central Region was hit hardest where 12 facilities are targeted, followed by 11 each in the Taconic Region and Long Island. All proposals require approval by the state Legislature.
“New York faces an historic fiscal crisis of unprecedented magnitude,” Paterson said. “The unfortunate reality of closing an $8.2 billion deficit is that there is less money available for many worthy services and programs.”
His plan also calls for $4 million worth of park and historic site fee increases.
Parks Commissioner Carol Ash said, “These actions were not recommended lightly, but they are necessary to address our state’s extraordinary fiscal difficulties.”
At Jones Beach on Long Island, plans call for closing a swimming pool and eliminating July 4 fireworks. At Niagara Falls, interpretive programs would be reduced.
Even Donald J. Trump State Park in Westchester County would close (he donated 436 acres for it) and golf courses at James Baird and Mills Norrie parks in Dutchess County would have shortened seasons. Olana State Historic Site near Hudson would close two days per week.
For a complete list of closings click on the link: http://readme.readmedia.com/Statements-from-Governor-David-A-Paterson-and-Commissioner-Carol-Ash/1166601utm_source=newswire&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=media_pr_emails.
Comments
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Saturday, February 20, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
FLASH!! Victoria Pool Not on Parks closing list!!
save the victoria pool society taped a radio show just before the list of park closing was released. It will be aired on STAR 101.3fm and 1160am at 8am on Sunday, february 21,2010. The show is the Capital Connection with former Saratoga Springs Mayor, Mike O'Connell.
Even if Victoria Pool is NOT listed to close, we have to keep the pressure on. We will have an on-line petition very shortly and many off-line petitions are being started by pool fans already all over the state.
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Capitol Confidential
A behind-the-scenes look at New York politics.
By: Jimmy Vielkind, Casey Seiler, Jim Odato, Rick Karlin
Paterson, Ash: Sorry, folks — the park’s closed
February 19, 2010 at 12:00 pm by Casey Seiler
As expected, the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation released its recommended list of closures and service reductions “in order to achieve its 2010-11 agency savings target and help address the State’s historic fiscal difficulties.”
As Fred LeBrun first reported on Sunday, the Capital Region takes a particularly heavy hit, including the full closure of John Boyd Thacher State Park in the Helderbergs and Schuyler Mansion Historic Site in Albany.
The list, which you’ll find in full after the jump, came with a statement from the governor:
“New York faces an historic fiscal crisis of unprecedented magnitude. It has demanded many difficult but necessary decisions to help ensure the fiscal integrity of our State. The unfortunate reality of closing an $8.2 billion deficit is that there is less money available for many worthy services and programs. In an environment when we have to cut funding to schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and social services, no area of State spending, including parks and historic sites, could be exempt from reductions. We cannot mortgage our State’s financial future through further gimmicks or avoidance behavior. Spending cuts, however difficult, are needed in order to put New York on the road to fiscal recovery. Going forward through the budget process, I look forward to a productive dialogue with the Legislature on parks and historic sites, as well as other issues.”
OPRHP Commissioner Carol Ash issued the following statement:
“The 2010-11 Executive Budget included reductions to every area of State spending. As such, the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation has today put forward proposed closures and service reductions to meet its agency savings target. These actions were not recommended lightly, but they are necessary to address our State’s extraordinary fiscal difficulties.”
Here’s the full release from OPRHP:
A fact sheet on the proposed closures and service reductions is included below:
The Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) today put forward a list of closures and service reductions in order to achieve its proposed 2010-11 agency savings target and help address the State’s historic fiscal difficulties. As part of a comprehensive plan to close an $8.2 billion deficit, the 2010-11 Executive Budget included necessary cost reductions to each executive State agency, as well as cuts to education, health care, social services, and every other area of State spending.
OPRHP’s plan includes the closure of 41 parks and 14 historic sites, and service reductions at 23 parks and 1 historic site.
The plan also assumes $4 million in park and historic site fee increases that will be identified at a later date, and the use of $5 million in funds from the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) to finance OPRHP operations. These two actions were part of the 21-day amendments to the Executive Budget and are intended to reduce the number of parks and historic sites subject to closures and service reductions.
Specific recommended closures and service reductions are detailed below:
Long Island
Brookhaven State Park Suffolk Close Park
Bethpage State Park Suffolk Eliminate Winter Sports;
Reduce picnic area and polo field
Caleb Smith State Park Preserve Suffolk Close Park
Cold Spring Harbor State Park Suffolk Close Park
Connetquot River State Park Suffolk Close Weekdays
Heckscher State Park Suffolk Close Swimming Pool
Jones Beach State Park Nassau Close West Swimming Pool;
Eliminate July 4th fireworks
Montauk Downs State Park Suffolk Close Swimming Pool
Nissequogue River State Park Suffolk Close Park
Orient Beach State Park Suffolk Close Park
Trail View State Park Suffolk Close Park
New York City Region
Bayswater Point State Park Queens Close Park
Riverbank State Park New York Reduce Operating Hours;
Close Outdoor Swimming Pool;
Eliminate Seniors Classes; and
Community/Cultural Events
Palisades Region
Fort Montgomery Historic Site Orange Close Historic Site
Harriman SP– Anthony Wayne Orange Close Park Area
Harriman SP – Group Camps Orange Reduce Maintenance
High Tor State Park Rockland Close Pool
Knox Headquarters Historic Site Orange Close Historic Site
New Windsor Cantonment SHS Orange Close Historic Site
Schunnemunk State Park Orange Close Park
Stony Point State Historic Site Orange Close Historic Site
Tallman Mountain State Park Rockland Close Pool
Taconic Region
Donald J. Trump State Park Westchester Close Park
FDR (Roosevelt) State Park Westchester Reduce Swimming Pool Season
Hudson Highlands State Park Putnam Close Arden Point Area
James Baird State Park Dutchess Reduce Golf Course Season
Mills Norrie State Park Dutchess Reduce Golf Course Season
Olana State Historic Site Columbia Close 2 Days per Week
Philipse Manor Hall Historic Site Westchester Close Historic Site
Rockefeller State Park Preserve Westchester Eliminate Interpretive Programs
Taconic Outdoor Education Center Putnam Eliminate Interpretive Programs
Taconic State Park – Rudd Pond Dutchess Close Rudd Pond Area
Wonder Lake State Park Putnam Close Park
Saratoga-Capital Region
Bennington Battlefield State Park Rensselaer Close Historic Site
Hudson River Islands State Park Rensselaer Close Park
John Boyd Thacher State Park Albany Close Park
John Brown Farm Historic Site Essex Close Historic Site
Johnson Hall State Historic Site Fulton Close Historic Site
Max V. Shaul State Park Schoharie Close Park
Schodack Island State Park Rensselaer Close Park
Schoharie Crossing Historic Site Schoharie Close Historic Site
Schuyler Mansion Historic Site Albany Close Historic Site
Central Region
Chittenango Falls State Park Madison Close Park
Clark Reservation State Park Onondaga Close Park
Fort Ontario State Historic Site Oswego Close Historic Site
Helen McNitt State Park Madison Close Park
Herkimer Home Historic Site Herkimer Close Historic Site
Hunts Pond State Park Chenango Close Park
Oquaga Creek State Park Broome Close Park
Old Erie Canal State Park Onondaga Close Park
Oriskany Battlefield/Steuben SHS Oneida Close Historic Site
Pixley Falls State Park Oneida Close Park
Robert Riddell State Park Delaware Close Park
Selkirk Shores State Park Oswego Close Public Swimming Beach
Finger Lakes Region
Beechwood State Park Wayne Close Park
Bonavista State Park Seneca Close Park
Chimney Bluffs State Park Wayne Close Park
Newtown Battlefield State Park Chemung Close Park
Springbrook Greens State Park Cayuga Close Park
Two Rivers State Park Tioga Close Park
Buttermilk Falls State Park Tompkins Close Public Swimming Area
Seneca Lake State Park Seneca Close Lake Swimming Beach
Stony Brook State Park Steuben Close Public Swimming Area
Thousand Islands Region
Canoe Island State Park Jefferson Close Park
Cedar Island State Park Jefferson Close Park
Eel Weir State Park St. Lawrence Close Park
Keewaydin State Park Jefferson Close Park
Macomb Reservation State Park Clinton Close Park
Mary Island State Park Jefferson Close Park
Point Au Roche State Park Clinton Close Park
Sackets Harbor State Historic Site Jefferson Close Historic Site
Genesee Region
Hamlin Beach State Park Monroe Close Swimming Beach 3 Days per Week
Oak Orchard State Marine Park Orleans Close Park
Regionwide Multiple Eliminate Camper Recreation Program
Niagara Region
Joseph Davis State Park Niagara Close Park
Knox Farm State Park Erie Close Park
Niagara Falls State Park Niagara Reduce Interpretive Programs
Wilson-Tuscarora State Park Niagara Close Park
Woodlawn Beach State Park Erie Close Park
Allegany Region
Allegany State Park Cattaraugus Close Quaker Area Swim Beach;
Close Quaker Cabins Area on December 1st;
Eliminate Winter Trails Maintenance;
Reduce Recreation Programs
Long Point State Park Chautauqua Close Park
Thursday, February 18, 2010
pressure your elected officials to keep Victoria Pool open early and often.
Society pleads to save Victoria Pool
Thursday, February 18, 2010
By PATRICK H. DONGES, The Saratogian
SARATOGA SPRINGS — In the face of cuts that could close many local state parks, city residents are taking a stand.
At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, the Save the Victoria Pool Society pleaded with city and county officials to do whatever they could to keep the pool open this summer.
Gov. Paterson’s recently announced executive budget proposal would cut $20 million from the parks. Rumored cuts include Peebles Island, Thacher Park and the Saratoga Spa State Park pool.
"How many more shoes are going to drop?" asked Saratoga Springs resident Peter Tulin Tuesday night.
"First VLTs, then the pool; what’s next?"
The society came with photos of swimmers on the pool’s opening day in 1935. Tulin illustrated the importance of the pool by noting the two years during World War II when the track was closed but the pool remained open.
Society co-founder Louise J. Goldstein first learned the pool might be closed in a news article last Sunday. Her concern increased this week when Spa State Park officials told her next season’s schedule would not be available until March.
"It means the most to the citizens, economy and, most importantly, the history of Saratoga Springs," Goldstein said .
The society urged the City Council to bring forward a resolution stating they would do whatever it takes to keep the pool open.
Mayor Scott Johnson gave no indication of a pending resolution, but he praised the tenacity of the society since its inception in 2003.
"(The Victoria Pool) is a part of the city’s history and we will work to guarantee its continued use," he said Wednesday.
In 2004, the organization helped secure a $646,801 grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to upgrade the pool. It had been closed periodically for maintenance and sanitation problems.
In 2004 and 2005 the pool underwent a $1.5 million rehabilitation project including masonry restoration, a new filtration system, new pipes and stainless steel gutters.
County Supervisor Matthew Veitch plans to bring the pool to the attention of state legislators when he lobbies for the county’s legislative agenda Feb. 23, even though he primarily used the Peerless Pool in his youth. He admitted that a resolution brought before the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors could not stop the state from closing the pool.
"There needs to be a critical mass," He said. "It could spur the public to write letters and make their case."
Veitch said he couldn’t believe the state was losing revenue by keeping the pool open.
"I just don’t see the point of it," he said, noting the recent renovations.
The Save the Victoria Pool Society can be found on the Web at www.save-the-victoria-pool-society.blogspot.com.
URL: http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2010/02/18/news/doc4b7cad359d307252221420.prt
© 2010 saratogian.com, a Journal Register Property
STATE & FEDERAL ELECTED OFFICIALS
MUNICIPAL U.S Senator Charles Schumer
Hart Senate Office Bldg., Room 313
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-6542
www.schumer.senate.gov
US Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand
Russell Senate Bldg., Room 478
Washington, DC 20510-3201
(202) 224-4451
www.gillibrand.senate.gov
US Congressman Murphy
120 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5614
www.scottmurphy.house.gov
NY State Senator Roy McDonald
Legislative Office Building
Bldg. 306
Albany, NY 12247
455-2381
(202) 224-6542
mcdonald@senate.state.ny.us
368 Broadway
Saratoga Springs, 12866
587-2574To Write To The Governor:
David A. Paterson
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224
518-474-8390
To Email The Governor:
Click here to email the Governor
NY State Senator Hugh T. Farley
Room 706 Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12247
455-2181
farley@senate.state.ny.us
Assemblyman James Tedisco Room 329 Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12248
455-5772 tediscj@assembly.state.ny.us
Assemblyman Tony Jordan
Washington Co. Municipal Center
383 Broadway, Bldg. A
Fort Edward, Ny 12828
455-5404 (Albany)
747-7098 (Fort Edward)
jordanj@assembly.state.ny.us
Assemblyman Robert Reilly
Room 452 Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12248
455-5931 reillyr@assembly.state.ny.us
Assemblywoman Teresa Sayward
140 Glen St.
Glens Falls, NY 1280940
Room 940, Legislative Office Bldg.
Albany, NY 12248
792-4546
saywart@assembly.state.ny.us
Thursday, February 18, 2010
By PATRICK H. DONGES, The Saratogian
SARATOGA SPRINGS — In the face of cuts that could close many local state parks, city residents are taking a stand.
At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, the Save the Victoria Pool Society pleaded with city and county officials to do whatever they could to keep the pool open this summer.
Gov. Paterson’s recently announced executive budget proposal would cut $20 million from the parks. Rumored cuts include Peebles Island, Thacher Park and the Saratoga Spa State Park pool.
"How many more shoes are going to drop?" asked Saratoga Springs resident Peter Tulin Tuesday night.
"First VLTs, then the pool; what’s next?"
The society came with photos of swimmers on the pool’s opening day in 1935. Tulin illustrated the importance of the pool by noting the two years during World War II when the track was closed but the pool remained open.
Society co-founder Louise J. Goldstein first learned the pool might be closed in a news article last Sunday. Her concern increased this week when Spa State Park officials told her next season’s schedule would not be available until March.
"It means the most to the citizens, economy and, most importantly, the history of Saratoga Springs," Goldstein said .
The society urged the City Council to bring forward a resolution stating they would do whatever it takes to keep the pool open.
Mayor Scott Johnson gave no indication of a pending resolution, but he praised the tenacity of the society since its inception in 2003.
"(The Victoria Pool) is a part of the city’s history and we will work to guarantee its continued use," he said Wednesday.
In 2004, the organization helped secure a $646,801 grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to upgrade the pool. It had been closed periodically for maintenance and sanitation problems.
In 2004 and 2005 the pool underwent a $1.5 million rehabilitation project including masonry restoration, a new filtration system, new pipes and stainless steel gutters.
County Supervisor Matthew Veitch plans to bring the pool to the attention of state legislators when he lobbies for the county’s legislative agenda Feb. 23, even though he primarily used the Peerless Pool in his youth. He admitted that a resolution brought before the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors could not stop the state from closing the pool.
"There needs to be a critical mass," He said. "It could spur the public to write letters and make their case."
Veitch said he couldn’t believe the state was losing revenue by keeping the pool open.
"I just don’t see the point of it," he said, noting the recent renovations.
The Save the Victoria Pool Society can be found on the Web at www.save-the-victoria-pool-society.blogspot.com.
URL: http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2010/02/18/news/doc4b7cad359d307252221420.prt
© 2010 saratogian.com, a Journal Register Property
STATE & FEDERAL ELECTED OFFICIALS
MUNICIPAL U.S Senator Charles Schumer
Hart Senate Office Bldg., Room 313
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-6542
www.schumer.senate.gov
US Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand
Russell Senate Bldg., Room 478
Washington, DC 20510-3201
(202) 224-4451
www.gillibrand.senate.gov
US Congressman Murphy
120 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5614
www.scottmurphy.house.gov
NY State Senator Roy McDonald
Legislative Office Building
Bldg. 306
Albany, NY 12247
455-2381
(202) 224-6542
mcdonald@senate.state.ny.us
368 Broadway
Saratoga Springs, 12866
587-2574To Write To The Governor:
David A. Paterson
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224
518-474-8390
To Email The Governor:
Click here to email the Governor
NY State Senator Hugh T. Farley
Room 706 Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12247
455-2181
farley@senate.state.ny.us
Assemblyman James Tedisco Room 329 Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12248
455-5772 tediscj@assembly.state.ny.us
Assemblyman Tony Jordan
Washington Co. Municipal Center
383 Broadway, Bldg. A
Fort Edward, Ny 12828
455-5404 (Albany)
747-7098 (Fort Edward)
jordanj@assembly.state.ny.us
Assemblyman Robert Reilly
Room 452 Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12248
455-5931 reillyr@assembly.state.ny.us
Assemblywoman Teresa Sayward
140 Glen St.
Glens Falls, NY 1280940
Room 940, Legislative Office Bldg.
Albany, NY 12248
792-4546
saywart@assembly.state.ny.us
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Office of Parks to public: just keep twisting in the wind while we twiddle our thumbs.
State officials urge patience on park closures
Story Discussion By DREW KERR, dkerr@poststar.com | Posted: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 5:01 pm | (1) Comments
Font Size: Default font size Larger font size SARATOGA SPRINGS -- State officials are trying to quell concerns that the Victoria Pool at Saratoga Spa State Park will be closed this summer because of budget cuts.
Rumors about the pool's closure emerged over the weekend, but officials with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation said this week that no decisions about the facility have been made.
"It would be misleading to the public to say there is a plan to close (the Victoria Pool)," said Dan Keefe, a department spokesman.
Parks officials have acknowledged that some state parks, park facilities and historic sites in New York are likely to be closed this year as the department deals with funding cuts.
But a review of exactly what will be shuttered this year is ongoing, Keefe said, and is unlikely to be finished for weeks.
The savings are being sought in light of Gov. David Paterson's budget proposal, which cuts state spending on parks by around 16 percent compared with the current year.
If enacted, the parks department would receive around $155 million in the 2010-11 state budget, a decline of $29 million from the amount afforded in the previous spending plan.
Louise Goldstein, a Saratoga Springs resident and founder of the Save the Victoria Pool Society, said she has been scrambling this week to learn more about the state's plans but has been unsuccessful.
Despite receiving no official indication that the pool will be closed, group members planned to urge the Saratoga Springs City Council to pass a resolution during the council's Tuesday meeting in support of keeping the pool open.
Goldstein's group may also make a visit to Albany to express concerns, Goldstein said.
"We know how to fight, and we are going to fight," she said.
Goldstein said the pool should be saved because it is one of the few affordable venues for area residents to swim during the summer; the only other public pool in Saratoga Springs is the Peerless Pool, which is also located in Saratoga Spa State Park.
The Victoria Pool facility, which opened in 1934 as the country's first heated pool, has a certain ambiance that is enjoyed by visitors from around the world, Goldstein said.
"It is much, much more than a swimming pool - it's the most beautiful swimming pool in all of America," she said. "It's got a certain magic that makes it not just a Saratoga but a national treasure."
People from around the country have contacted her this week to express their concerns that the pool would be shuttered, Goldstein said.
She said she was particularly miffed at the suggestion the pool could be closed in light of the state's spending $1.5 million on improvements between 2003 and 2005 and because attendance has blossomed since then.
Attendance figures could not be obtained as of press time on Tuesday.
Posted in Local on Tuesday, February 16, 2010 5:01 pm | Tags: Victoria Pool, Saratoga Spa State Park, Peerless Pool, State Budget,
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Story Discussion By DREW KERR, dkerr@poststar.com | Posted: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 5:01 pm | (1) Comments
Font Size: Default font size Larger font size SARATOGA SPRINGS -- State officials are trying to quell concerns that the Victoria Pool at Saratoga Spa State Park will be closed this summer because of budget cuts.
Rumors about the pool's closure emerged over the weekend, but officials with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation said this week that no decisions about the facility have been made.
"It would be misleading to the public to say there is a plan to close (the Victoria Pool)," said Dan Keefe, a department spokesman.
Parks officials have acknowledged that some state parks, park facilities and historic sites in New York are likely to be closed this year as the department deals with funding cuts.
But a review of exactly what will be shuttered this year is ongoing, Keefe said, and is unlikely to be finished for weeks.
The savings are being sought in light of Gov. David Paterson's budget proposal, which cuts state spending on parks by around 16 percent compared with the current year.
If enacted, the parks department would receive around $155 million in the 2010-11 state budget, a decline of $29 million from the amount afforded in the previous spending plan.
Louise Goldstein, a Saratoga Springs resident and founder of the Save the Victoria Pool Society, said she has been scrambling this week to learn more about the state's plans but has been unsuccessful.
Despite receiving no official indication that the pool will be closed, group members planned to urge the Saratoga Springs City Council to pass a resolution during the council's Tuesday meeting in support of keeping the pool open.
Goldstein's group may also make a visit to Albany to express concerns, Goldstein said.
"We know how to fight, and we are going to fight," she said.
Goldstein said the pool should be saved because it is one of the few affordable venues for area residents to swim during the summer; the only other public pool in Saratoga Springs is the Peerless Pool, which is also located in Saratoga Spa State Park.
The Victoria Pool facility, which opened in 1934 as the country's first heated pool, has a certain ambiance that is enjoyed by visitors from around the world, Goldstein said.
"It is much, much more than a swimming pool - it's the most beautiful swimming pool in all of America," she said. "It's got a certain magic that makes it not just a Saratoga but a national treasure."
People from around the country have contacted her this week to express their concerns that the pool would be shuttered, Goldstein said.
She said she was particularly miffed at the suggestion the pool could be closed in light of the state's spending $1.5 million on improvements between 2003 and 2005 and because attendance has blossomed since then.
Attendance figures could not be obtained as of press time on Tuesday.
Posted in Local on Tuesday, February 16, 2010 5:01 pm | Tags: Victoria Pool, Saratoga Spa State Park, Peerless Pool, State Budget,
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Tuesday, February 16, 2010
save the victoria pool society reacts to devasting news of possible pool closure, daily gazette, 2/16/10.
Group fears Saratoga park’s pool may be closed
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
By Tatiana Zarnowski (Contact)
Gazette Reporter
Text Size: A | A | A
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Fears of the Victoria Pool’s possible closure in Saratoga Spa State Park this summer have angered people who champion the historic facility.
Although state park officials deny the pool is specifically slated for closure, members of the vocal Save the Victoria Pool Society believe it is.
Co-founder Louise Goldstein said the society plans to protest if the state decides to close the pool, perhaps by having a rally.
“We’re not going to be quiet,” she said.
But agency officials wouldn’t confirm that the Victorian Pool will close.
“We haven’t finalized plans for specific parks,” said Dan Keefe, spokesman for the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Keefe said those decisions are expected to be made soon.
“We’re looking at doing park-by-park review.”
It’s no secret that the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is going to have a tough year.
“It’s anticipated that there will be closures. I think it’s been pretty well publicized,” said Alane Ball Chinian, regional director for the Saratoga-Capital District Region of the parks office.
Statewide, the agency has cut 256 employees since the 2008-09 fiscal year, including 67 workers who would get the ax under the proposed 2010-11 budget.
Next fiscal year’s budget would reduce the agency’s operating budget by $29 million to $155 million.
“Simply stated, we will no longer be able to continue to operate all of the facilities and programs we currently administer,” Commissioner Carol Ash told the joint fiscal committees of the state Legislature last month about the 2010-11 budget plan.
A statewide advocacy organization is urging the state to fund the parks so they won’t close.
“If the governor was serious about New York’s economic development, he would restore at least $20 million to State Parks’ operating funds and prevent any parks from closing,” said Robin Dropkin, executive director of Parks & Trails New York.
Dropkin said a proposal by Gov. David A. Paterson to raise park fees this year and generate $4 million more in revenue would still mean closing some parks.
Locally, closing the Victoria Pool would eliminate the revenue stream from pool patrons who pay $8 for adults and $4 for children to enter.
Goldstein contends the pool is a moneymaker for the state because it fills up fast in the morning on hot days and people wait outside for a chance to sunbathe or swim there.
“It’s much more than a swimming pool. It’s a place that people come from all over the world.”
With its arched architecture, the Victoria Pool is a favorite hangout for New York City Ballet dancers, local residents and tourists.
She questioned the criteria the state is using to decide which state parks stay open and which will be closed.
Goldstein noted that the pool has never spent a season closed, even during World War II when Saratoga Race Course was closed.
Goldstein’s “Save the Victoria Pool” group formed in 2003 when needed capital projects threatened to close the pool. Public funds were secured to fix up the aging pool and since then Goldstein and 16 other board members have protested the late June opening and early closing of the pool.
Park officials have cited lack of lifeguard help, low attendance before schools let out and cooler weather as why they wait until late June to open.
“We thought it was saved, but the reason we didn’t change our name was we were very afraid of what the future would hold. And unfortunately we were right,” Goldstein said.
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Monday, February 15, 2010
St. Valentine's Day Massacre puts Victoria Pool on hit list.
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State parks make hit lists
By FRED LEBRUN COMMENTARY
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First published: Sunday, February 14, 2010
Two lists of possible state park and historic site closures made necessary by Gov. David Paterson's proposed 2010-11 state budget finally have been prepared by senior staff at the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the governor's office.
What the lists tell us is painful and sure to enrage the public.
Say goodbye to the venerable John Boyd Thacher State Park in the Helderbergs, for example, as bizarre as that sounds. At this point, it will take extraordinary measures to save it. Once closed, who knows when it reopens?
The reason there are two lists relates to the 21-day amendments the governor made to his original budget proposal.
In response to a growing din of concern over park closures, the governor now proposes moving $5 million from the capital budget line in the Environmental Protection Fund to an operating funds line as a way to save some parks.
The problem with that maneuver is that it requires approval by the Legislature, which has been loath to endorse similar offloads in the past. It would place a double burden on the already savaged EPF to "rescue" parks by sacrificing some other worthy environmental need.
There are 11 park regions in the state. The following is the list, as of Friday afternoon, of parks and historic sites that will be closed or curtailed in the Saratoga-Capital Region if the Legislature does not approve the $5 million transfer, or restore funding from another source. They are:
Schuyler Mansion and Peebles Island State Park, in addition to Thacher in Albany County.
Cherry Plain, Grafton Lakes, Schodack Island, Hudson River Islands and Bennington Battlefield state parks and the Fort Crailo historic site, all in Rensselaer County.
Max V. Shaul and Minekill state parks and the Schoharie Crossing historic site, in Schoharie County.
Crown Point and John Brown Farm historic sites in Essex County.
Johnson Hall in Fulton County.
Victoria Pool would be closed at Saratoga Spa State Park, but the rest of the park would be unaffected.
If Legislature goes along with the governor, or plugs in more money, the following would be saved:
Cherry Plain, Grafton Lakes, Minekill, Peebles Island, Schuyler Mansion, Fort Crailo and the Victoria Pool.
So, the difference between the two lists is instructive as to what these great minds are thinking. Why restore Cherry Plain and Grafton, but not Thacher, for example? The expression "arbitrary and capricious" comes to mind, not to mention insensitive and ill-considered.
What is utterly dismaying is that these discussions are going on behind very closed doors with no public input. At what point do the decision makers plan to drop all this on us? When it's too late for the enormous park user-base to protest? Calls to the governor's office on Friday on the subject were not returned.
Those of us from this region are aware that the affected parks serve a range of clients, but with varying emphasis. There are class issues, for example. Grafton, Cherry Plain and Thacher serve minority communities more than does Saratoga Spa, not that I wish ill to any of them.
Sure, there's plenty of wilderness out in Schoharie County that can serve as an alternative to official state parks. But it is especially in impoverished areas such as Schoharie that state parks are needed engines of economic development. Parks attract tourists and that's found money. Why in the world are we killing off our flock of golden geese then?
What is dramatically missing in this process is any sense of criteria for closures. We deserve to know why and on what basis. And we deserve a thoughtful and complete analysis of what each closure really means in terms of actual savings, and true costs whether they're open or not.
Take Thacher Park. How do you "close" it? A major highway runs right through it. There's easy access on all sides. Those escarpment cliffs are dangerous; hardly a year goes by without serious injury there. Which means a squad of park police will have to be stationed there, at what cost, patrolling the area year-round to protect the state's liability interest and safeguard the public.
But what park police? Manny Vilar, a veteran park cop, is the president of the union that represents the senior officer corps at parks. He points out that repeated budget cuts and a pathetic pay scale have created a ludicrous situation. In 2007, the last year there was a park police academy for new recruits, 113 new cops were hired at a cost of $6 million. But from 2004 to 2007, 118 park police left for better paying police jobs from the village level on up to State Police. So, Parks paid $6 million for a net loss of five officers, because the agency doesn't have the funds to remain competitive. As a direct consequence, a skeleton crew of 263 officers and supervisors is responsible for safeguarding 55 million visitors a year at more than 100 parks and historic sites across the state.
So, who's going to protect and preserve Thacher Park until we can reopen it? As I said, this not a pretty picture, no matter how you focus it.
Reach LeBrun at 454-5453 or at flebrun@timesunion.com.
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Saturday, February 13, 2010
we need to rally around our nys parks and urge elected/appointed officials to preserve our precious park so long neglected.
State parks face cutbacks this summer
By Richard E. Baldwin
News Niagara Reporter
Updated: February 11, 2010, 7:48 am / 46 comments
Published: February 11, 2010, 2:52 am
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NIAGARA FALLS — Some of New York State's parks and historic sites will remain closed this summer, others will be open fewer hours, some will have reduced services, and some will charge higher fees, all because of the state's precarious financial situation.
"There is no way for us to get around park closings," State Parks Commissioner Carol Ash said in an interview Wednesday in the Western Regional Parks Office in Niagara Falls State Park.
Ash said it was too early in the budget-making process to even guess at which parks or historic sites would remain closed. She added, however, that service reductions made last year would remain in effect — including the closing of swimming beaches at Lake Erie State Park in Brocton and Woodlawn Beach State Park in the Town of Hamburg.
"We also are looking at raising some fees, particularly at our Long Island ocean beaches, but probably not in Western New York," Ash said. Fees at state golf courses and rental fees for some park cottages also are under consideration, the commissioner said.
"These are imperfect solutions, but we want to make a 'soft landing' as much as possible," she said.
Her department hopes to keep open some parks and recreation facilities in or near each county, Ash said, so nobody in New York State would have to travel too far to reach a state site.
Although nothing has been decided for sure, some services could be reduced, Ash said. As an example, she suggested that some programs at Artpark in Lewiston could be scaled back. She stressed that all of the considerations are tentative and that they may be revised several times before being finally adopted in the state budget that is supposed to be enacted by April 1.
The state's budget for parks and recreation has been reduced by up to 40 percent from the last few years, and budget planners have asked for an additional reduction of $20 million this year, Ash said.
She refused to criticize Gov. David A. Paterson's demand for budget cuts, noting that all state departments are "in the same boat." Paterson has predicted a serious budget shortfall because of stagnant state revenues and increasing costs.
Members of Ash's staff said some savings could be gained by opening some of the smaller parks later in the year than their normal opening dates in April or May. That could become self-defeating, however, because fewer visitors would mean less income at a time when about 40 percent of the department's operating budget comes from user fees.
The staff members said the state's parks and historic sites had about 56 million visitors per year, and that visitation last year had increased by about 2 million. The use of state campsites also has increased, they said, possibly because more residents are vacationing closer to home and using relatively inexpensive state facilities in a time of recession.
On the brighter side, Ash announced that Paterson has proposed a $20 million statewide capital improvement budget for the Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation.
The $20 million includes:
• $1.5 million to design repairs or replacement of the failing Goat Island bridges built just above the American Falls in 1901, which are closed to vehicle traffic. Vehicles currently use a newer bridge, just upstream from the original spans. There was no estimate of the actual cost of fixing or replacing the old bridges, although it would be much more than the amount allocated for design work. Also, there was no timetable for the work, which could be several years away. Only pedestrians now use the failing bridges.
• $1.1 million to improve the sewage system at Fort Niagara State Park near Youngstown to meet state sanitary standards.
• $1 million to repair and resurface aging park roadways that have exceeded their useful life in Allegany State Park in Cattaraugus County.
• $550,000 to replace the deteriorated restroom and shower building that serves the "D" cabin area, a popular camping area at Letchworth State Park in Wyoming County.
The commissioner distributed a summary report showing that state operating expenditures, capital investments and expenditures by visitors to New York State parks contributed $569 million to the economy of the Niagara Frontier. The study was released last year by the Political Economy Research Institute of the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.
rbaldwin@buffnews.com
Sunday, February 07, 2010
nys parks in big trouble, be very afraid.
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State Parks agency's dilemma is a symbol
By FRED LEBRUN COMMENTARY
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First published: Sunday, February 7, 2010
So which one will it be? Do we close Grafton State Park in Rensselaer County or Thacher up along Albany County's Helderberg escarpment?
Forget how popular both are, or how Grafton Lake in that park serves as the swimming hole for Troy's minority community, or how Thacher provides the great overlook of our region, cherished for generations as a place to show visiting relatives. Regardless, choices have to be made, because the governor has spoken. Spoken without analyzing the implications, but spoken nonetheless. He wants cuts, deep cuts. OK, we get it. We need cuts, but what do they mean to us?
Among the many irritating aspects of Gov. Paterson's behavior in crafting his proposed $134 billion state budget for 2010-11 is his lack of dialogue with we the people over why he is making certain budget cuts -- the rationale and the admitted consequences to state services and programs.
It is also apparent that he hasn't even involved his own state agencies in much of it. The latest round of cuts was dropped like a bomb on agencies about the time the proposed budget was made public. Out of the blue, agencies are left trying to divine how to meet an artibrary 11.5 percent further reduction across the board. Apparently not, as you might suspect, because of deteriorating revenues and our continued horrible economy, but rather out of pure political motivation by the governor. Just so he can announce at the end of the next fiscal year a $500 million or more surplus for some sort of gimmicky give-back to the taxpayers. Which returns us to Thacher versus Grafton and the infuriating dilemma facing the Office of State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
As has been widely noted already, Parks, along with the Department of Environmental Conservation, has taken an outsized hit in the proposed budget. For state parks, this is in addition to previous cuts. The total is a staggering 40 percent of their operating budget over the last three years. Already Parks has eliminated 1,100 permanent and seasonal workers, and instituted restrictions at more than 100 state parks and historic sites. There is no wiggle room left.
The governor has been told point blank that what he now proposes means half the state parks and historic places evenly spread over the 11 regions of the state will have to be closed. Yet I have been assured by those who should know that there is no list of closures. In other words, the governor is willing to make the cuts without any sense of how that will translate down here in the trenches.
It's going to translate badly. Now, there are certainly a number of options available, but we're not hearing anything like this from the governor. Options such as raising fees at state parks, perhaps dramatically. Right now, it costs a vehicle $7 to get into Grafton, and $6 into Thacher. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails are $10 a day at both venues. Raising fees certainly would not be popular, but if it would keep them open, it's worth looking at perhaps in combination with other measures.
My old friend Al Caccese is the executive director of Audubon New York. But from 1975 to 2003, he was on the state parks agency executive staff serving as counsel, executive deputy and even acting commissioner through three administration, both Republican and Democratic. He's mortified at what's happening at his old agency.
He says that in addition to this administration not revealing what parks and historic sites are in jeopardy, which the public has the right to know, there doesn't seem to be any thought given to the impact of those closures in terms of lost revenues and tourist dollars.
The park system generates $2 billion a year in economic activity, much of it in rural areas desperate for it. Yet strangling up-front operating expenses means many will have to be shut down. How dumb a way to save money is that?
DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis, when he recently testified before the Legislature on the proposed budget, made a similar point about facilities controlled by his agency. That they would make a profit if allowed to exist. We haven't heard yet how many DEC-run campgrounds and parks, vital to tourism around the state, will get nailed in Paterson's thoughtless budgeting process. But with the DEC actually looking at rationing gas for its police force and limiting telephone use, we should brace ourselves for the worst.
Caccese, who made a career of getting by with very little at Parks, says the governor could rescue his old agency and the DEC by perhaps funneling part of the proposed obesity tax to their operating budgets. After all, if the primary aim of that tax is a healthier New York, that's what parks and campgrounds provide. Caccese also proposes a tax on non-agricultural lawn care products to fund parks. Not a bad thought.
Gov. Paterson last week pronounced that he was politically a hardened warrior. I think he's confusing battered for hardened. The truth is it doesn't take any courage to announce all manner of draconian cuts to a budget that affects us all. The part that takes backbone is in facing the electorate with the specifics of what those cuts mean. Is it Grafton or Thacher?
Until the governor tells us, he's just dodging.
Contact Fred LeBrun at 454-5453 or by e-mail at flebrun@timesunion.com.
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Friday, February 05, 2010
The Victoria Pool is a money maker for NYS Parks and should open Memorial Day in these rough times.
SARATOGA SPRINGS - It's going to be another difficult year for state parks.
Gov. David Paterson's proposed state budget calls for $29 million in spending cuts at New York's 35 historic sites and 135 state parks, including Moreau Lake State Park and Saratoga Spa State Park in Saratoga Springs.
The cuts mark a 16 percent reduction from the amount provided to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in 2009, leaving the agency with about $155 million to spend this year.
Although nothing is final, parks officials say the budget-trimming will likely translate into smaller staffs, scattered park closings and less investment in infrastructure needs.
A list of which parks will be closed is still being drawn up, but parks officials say the cuts are deep enough to raise concerns that operations at Moreau Lake State Park and Saratoga Spa State Park would be diminished to the point that neither could operate safely and would have to be shut down.
"This is not something we want to do, but, purely and simply, if the money is not there to run the park properly, we won't do it," said Heather Mabee, a governor-appointed parks advocate who represents the Saratoga-Capital District region on the State Council of Parks.
Mabee and other parks advocates visited the Capitol Tuesday to make the case that parks are not just venues for recreation but also economic engines that draw visitors from outside the area.
Many lawmakers did not understand how deeply the state parks system has been cut in recent years, she said, noting the budget for the New York Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has been slashed nearly 40 percent since 2007.
Although Mabee said there is sympathy for the parks system's plight, there is also a feeling that all state spending is being slashed, and the parks department is no exception.
"We got some very positive responses, but we were also told that nobody's safe from being on the chopping block," said Mabee, who lives in Saratoga Springs. "Nobody said no to us. They all understand, but they also have their own priorities."
One lawmaker with whom Mabee and others spoke was state Sen. Roy McDonald, R-Saratoga.
Reached Wednesday, McDonald made no promises but said cutting funding for state parks is a "dangerous" proposition that could cost the state on the revenue side.
"I don't look at parks as entertainment; I look at them as economic development," said McDonald, who described himself as a park user who regularly kayaks on Moreau Lake.
McDonald also said failure to invest could lead to irreparable deterioration.
"We've got a tremendous amount of resources in these places, and you don't want to let these investments go to waste because they may never come back," he said.
Unless funding is restored, the spending cuts will put into question capital projects planned for Moreau Lake State Park and Saratoga Spa State Park, officials said.
Parks staff have designs to add 80 campground sites at Moreau Lake and recently finished a master plan that included a host of changes to Saratoga Spa State Park, including a fenced-in dog park, a disc golf course and improved parking lots.
Those projects will be put on hold until more capital funds are available, officials said.
Paterson's budget includes $32 million for capital projects statewide this year, but parks officials estimate there is a backlog of needs totaling more than $650 million at parks across New York.
Those needs include storm water management and sewer projects, building repairs and environmental management.
Unless the budget proposal is altered, moves made to save $5 million in operating costs in 2009 will also be continued this season, officials said.
Last year, parks staff closed Peerless Pool at Spa State Park on Tuesdays and trimmed the hours it and other swimming locations were open from nine hours a day to eight.
Further reductions in hours could be on the horizon, but no specifics have been released.
Prices for camping at Moreau, as at all other state campgrounds, jumped from $13 to $15 a night last year, while admission at the Victoria Pool in Saratoga rose from $3 to $4 for children and from $6 to $8 for adults.
The rates are expected to remain in place this summer but will not increase.
Park entrance fees, now set at $6, were the only fees not raised last year. They are not expected to rise this year.
Another likely byproduct of the cuts is that this will be the third successive year in which no park police officers will be trained or hired.
That will leave the force with 266 officers - 25 percent fewer than were employed in July 2008, and just half the number employed in 2003.
Dan Keefe, a spokesman for the state parks office, said the cuts could lead to the cancellation of some larger events held at state parks. He could not say, however, if they would have any impact on events at Saratoga Spa State Park, home of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
The cuts come as a growing number of residents flock to state parks as a low-cost, close-to-home entertainment venue.
Estimated attendance at state parks across New York hit nearly 56 million last year, a jump of nearly 2 million people from 2008, according to the parks office.
The number of visitors to Moreau Lake State Park and Saratoga Spa State Park contributed to the spike in activity.
Parks statistics show an estimated 1.48 million people visited Saratoga Spa State Park in 2009, while another 396,000 visited Moreau Lake, increases of 2 and 8 percent, respectively.
Peter Iskenderian, the manager at Moreau Lake, said reservations already made for next summer at the park's campgrounds and cabins lead him to believe attendance could increase for 2010, too, assuming the season isn't trimmed.
"I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that the other parks were cut last year, and that people came here instead," he said. "Plus, we've also got a beautiful park that people just want to enjoy."
Several other swimming outlets in the region, including the beaches at Cherry Plain State Park, Thompson's Lake State Park and Grafton Lakes State Park, were closed for two days each week last year as a result of budget cuts.
The beach at Moreau Lake, however, remained open seven days a week.
Friends groups - volunteers who step in to help parks staff make up funding shortfalls - are likely to play an increased role as the budget becomes more lean, Iskenderian and others said.
At Moreau, for example, private donations recently helped parks staff buy a trail groomer that will be used to smooth loops through the park for cross-county skiers and snowshoers.
James Kettlewell, a Saratoga Springs resident who heads the friends group at Saratoga Spa State Park, said volunteers will look to do more to help out there this year, too.
But volunteers can only do so much, he said, noting the extensive maintenance efforts involved with preserving the architecture in the park.
Many of the buildings, including the mineral water bathhouses, date back to the 1930s, when President Franklin Roosevelt created the Works Progress Administration.
"Spa State Park has a much different character from many of the other state parks," Kettlewell said. "Really, it is home to some of the most important architecture in the state."
People who have come to enjoy the park's ambiance, as well as the recreation opportunities it affords, should realize that those assets also come at a cost, he said.
"Government-supported facilities require a certain amount of money that necessarily must come from the public," he said. "People love the park, but they don't want to hear the word taxes. We have to get the public to make the association and put the two together."
Posted in Local, Saratoga on Thursday, February 4, 2010 5:30 pm Updated: 5:45 pm. | Tags:
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Gov. David Paterson's proposed state budget calls for $29 million in spending cuts at New York's 35 historic sites and 135 state parks, including Moreau Lake State Park and Saratoga Spa State Park in Saratoga Springs.
The cuts mark a 16 percent reduction from the amount provided to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in 2009, leaving the agency with about $155 million to spend this year.
Although nothing is final, parks officials say the budget-trimming will likely translate into smaller staffs, scattered park closings and less investment in infrastructure needs.
A list of which parks will be closed is still being drawn up, but parks officials say the cuts are deep enough to raise concerns that operations at Moreau Lake State Park and Saratoga Spa State Park would be diminished to the point that neither could operate safely and would have to be shut down.
"This is not something we want to do, but, purely and simply, if the money is not there to run the park properly, we won't do it," said Heather Mabee, a governor-appointed parks advocate who represents the Saratoga-Capital District region on the State Council of Parks.
Mabee and other parks advocates visited the Capitol Tuesday to make the case that parks are not just venues for recreation but also economic engines that draw visitors from outside the area.
Many lawmakers did not understand how deeply the state parks system has been cut in recent years, she said, noting the budget for the New York Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has been slashed nearly 40 percent since 2007.
Although Mabee said there is sympathy for the parks system's plight, there is also a feeling that all state spending is being slashed, and the parks department is no exception.
"We got some very positive responses, but we were also told that nobody's safe from being on the chopping block," said Mabee, who lives in Saratoga Springs. "Nobody said no to us. They all understand, but they also have their own priorities."
One lawmaker with whom Mabee and others spoke was state Sen. Roy McDonald, R-Saratoga.
Reached Wednesday, McDonald made no promises but said cutting funding for state parks is a "dangerous" proposition that could cost the state on the revenue side.
"I don't look at parks as entertainment; I look at them as economic development," said McDonald, who described himself as a park user who regularly kayaks on Moreau Lake.
McDonald also said failure to invest could lead to irreparable deterioration.
"We've got a tremendous amount of resources in these places, and you don't want to let these investments go to waste because they may never come back," he said.
Unless funding is restored, the spending cuts will put into question capital projects planned for Moreau Lake State Park and Saratoga Spa State Park, officials said.
Parks staff have designs to add 80 campground sites at Moreau Lake and recently finished a master plan that included a host of changes to Saratoga Spa State Park, including a fenced-in dog park, a disc golf course and improved parking lots.
Those projects will be put on hold until more capital funds are available, officials said.
Paterson's budget includes $32 million for capital projects statewide this year, but parks officials estimate there is a backlog of needs totaling more than $650 million at parks across New York.
Those needs include storm water management and sewer projects, building repairs and environmental management.
Unless the budget proposal is altered, moves made to save $5 million in operating costs in 2009 will also be continued this season, officials said.
Last year, parks staff closed Peerless Pool at Spa State Park on Tuesdays and trimmed the hours it and other swimming locations were open from nine hours a day to eight.
Further reductions in hours could be on the horizon, but no specifics have been released.
Prices for camping at Moreau, as at all other state campgrounds, jumped from $13 to $15 a night last year, while admission at the Victoria Pool in Saratoga rose from $3 to $4 for children and from $6 to $8 for adults.
The rates are expected to remain in place this summer but will not increase.
Park entrance fees, now set at $6, were the only fees not raised last year. They are not expected to rise this year.
Another likely byproduct of the cuts is that this will be the third successive year in which no park police officers will be trained or hired.
That will leave the force with 266 officers - 25 percent fewer than were employed in July 2008, and just half the number employed in 2003.
Dan Keefe, a spokesman for the state parks office, said the cuts could lead to the cancellation of some larger events held at state parks. He could not say, however, if they would have any impact on events at Saratoga Spa State Park, home of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
The cuts come as a growing number of residents flock to state parks as a low-cost, close-to-home entertainment venue.
Estimated attendance at state parks across New York hit nearly 56 million last year, a jump of nearly 2 million people from 2008, according to the parks office.
The number of visitors to Moreau Lake State Park and Saratoga Spa State Park contributed to the spike in activity.
Parks statistics show an estimated 1.48 million people visited Saratoga Spa State Park in 2009, while another 396,000 visited Moreau Lake, increases of 2 and 8 percent, respectively.
Peter Iskenderian, the manager at Moreau Lake, said reservations already made for next summer at the park's campgrounds and cabins lead him to believe attendance could increase for 2010, too, assuming the season isn't trimmed.
"I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that the other parks were cut last year, and that people came here instead," he said. "Plus, we've also got a beautiful park that people just want to enjoy."
Several other swimming outlets in the region, including the beaches at Cherry Plain State Park, Thompson's Lake State Park and Grafton Lakes State Park, were closed for two days each week last year as a result of budget cuts.
The beach at Moreau Lake, however, remained open seven days a week.
Friends groups - volunteers who step in to help parks staff make up funding shortfalls - are likely to play an increased role as the budget becomes more lean, Iskenderian and others said.
At Moreau, for example, private donations recently helped parks staff buy a trail groomer that will be used to smooth loops through the park for cross-county skiers and snowshoers.
James Kettlewell, a Saratoga Springs resident who heads the friends group at Saratoga Spa State Park, said volunteers will look to do more to help out there this year, too.
But volunteers can only do so much, he said, noting the extensive maintenance efforts involved with preserving the architecture in the park.
Many of the buildings, including the mineral water bathhouses, date back to the 1930s, when President Franklin Roosevelt created the Works Progress Administration.
"Spa State Park has a much different character from many of the other state parks," Kettlewell said. "Really, it is home to some of the most important architecture in the state."
People who have come to enjoy the park's ambiance, as well as the recreation opportunities it affords, should realize that those assets also come at a cost, he said.
"Government-supported facilities require a certain amount of money that necessarily must come from the public," he said. "People love the park, but they don't want to hear the word taxes. We have to get the public to make the association and put the two together."
Posted in Local, Saratoga on Thursday, February 4, 2010 5:30 pm Updated: 5:45 pm. | Tags:
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Saturday, January 30, 2010
Slots operator picked for Aqueduct at last!
State picks VLT operator for Aqueduct racino
Saturday, January 30, 2010
By PAUL POST, The Saratogian
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The state’s long-awaited selection of an Aqueduct Race Track gaming operator is finally over.
Gov. David Paterson announced Friday that Aqueduct Entertainment Group has been awarded the 30-year contract to operate the downstate track’s 4,500 video lottery terminals.
The facility is expected to provide millions in new tax revenue to the cash-strapped state and give New York’s thoroughbred industry a major boost. Most importantly, Friday’s decision should prevent any threat of a racing shutdown, because AEG is obligated to give New York Racing Association funds to keep operating until the racino comes on line.
“AEG has both the financial viability and ability to pay the required up-front licensing fee,” Paterson said. “AEG complied with every request made during the review process and addressed satisfactorily all matters related to licensing ability. All of the groups have valid proposals, but AEG presented a comprehensive bid that enjoys community support and also offers strong marketing appeal.”
NYRA is slated to get 7 percent of racino revenues — 4 percent for capital improvements, 3 percent for operations. NYRA has already announced plans for $100 million worth of improvements at aging Saratoga Race Course, which could produce significant local construction during the next few years. Priorities include new restaurants, new backstretch worker dorms and major infrastructure overhauls in the grandstand such as plumbing and electrical work.
NYRA President and CEO Charles Hayward couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
Plans call for 3,000 VLTs within six months of AEG’s signing a memorandum of understanding with the state, AEG spokesman Davis Hodge said. The remaining 1,500 machines would come on line within a year’s time.
Larry Woolf, former head of MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, is one of AEG’s lead partners. He is currently head of the Navegante Group that runs Casino Niagara in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Other members of the AEG coalition are GreenStar Services Corp., Turner Construction Co., Levine Builders, The Darman Group Inc. and Empowerment Development Corp., PS&S Design, Siemens AG and Clairvest Group Inc. Navegante or its partners currently operate other casinos in Nevada, Wisconsin, Taiwan, Chile and other Canadian sites.
Paterson’s budget called for a minimum up-front payment to the state of at least $200 million from the winning bidder. However, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, said Friday he would only support Paterson’s selection if the up-front payment is increased to $300 million.
AEG could not immediately be reached for comment to see if it could provide the extra
$100 million.
AEG was one of five firms competing for the gaming contract. Others were Delaware North Companies partnered with Saratoga Gaming & Raceway, The Peebles Corp. and MGM; SL Green Realty Trust/Hard Rock Entertainment and Penn National Gaming.
Trainer Linda Rice hailed Friday’s announcement as a step in the right direction for New York racing. Many breeders have left New York for Pennsylvania, attracted to that state’s higher purses fueled by lucrative new casinos.
“I’m delighted that we can at least move forward,” she said. “I’m relieved to hear they’ve finally named someone. We’ve been waiting too long already. Hopefully we can regroup and pull things back together.”
Barry Ostrager, president of Saratoga Springs-based New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc., said, “We hope the implementation process is swift and uneventful. The announcement was certainly a long time coming and the state government has literally deprived the citizens of the state of a billion-plus dollars in revenue with the unnecessary delays that have attended this process.”
However, prominent Saratoga Springs horseman Jack Knowlton said, “Given the history of this, it may not be over yet.”
Penn National on Wednesday blasted Paterson and charged the state with a midstream change in the selection process rules. Penn National was the apparent high bidder with a $301 million up-front offer.
“We were extremely shocked and dismayed by the governor’s announcement, given we offered over $100 million more to the state than AEG in our bid,” said Eric Schippers, Penn National senior vice president. “In addition, our proposal complies with the conditions outlined by the speaker for the winning bidder. We remain committed to this project and will await further details about the selection process before commenting further.”
Some observers have speculated that one or more firms might sue the state.
Paterson, Silver and Senate Conference Leader John Sampson, D-Brooklyn, were charged with making the decision. Firms submitted bids last fall, but the selection was marked by one unexplained delay after another.
In addition to the extra
$100 million up-front payment, Silver said his support is contingent on several other items. They are:
ä Require use of existing approved footprint for a timely SEQRA approval. Any future development would be subject to the normal SEQRA process. No waiver requests or requests for expedited approval will be permitted.
ä All investors at any level, partners, directors, managers, contract holders and principal and other selected employees must obtain a license from the State Division of the Lottery. Anyone who has been denied a gaming license in any jurisdiction anywhere in the world, or convicted within the past 15 years of a felony or any other crime or offense involving fraud, larceny of any sort, theft, misappropriation or conversion of funds, or tax evasion is prohibited from obtaining a license.
ä Throughout the final approval process, all changes in the proposal including but not limited to partners, investors at any level, management, development or principal employees, and contracts must be reviewed by the Division of Lottery and approved by the three leaders prior to the conclusion of the approval process.
SL Green spokesman Rick Matthews said, “We question whether AEG can meet such conditions. We are awaiting word on that. We stand ready to re-engage state officials should AEG fail to meet conditions outlined by the speaker.”
Originally, Delaware North was chosen to run Aqueduct’s racino in October 2008. But when the economy collapsed, it couldn’t come up with the financing for a $370 million up-front pledge and the deal fell apart. Paterson announced last spring that he was starting the selection process over. Six firms submitted bids, three more than the first time. However, casino mogul Steve Wynn dropped out last fall because of ongoing delays, leaving five firms to choose from.
AEG partner Jeffrey Levine, founder and CEO of Levine Builders, said, “Aqueduct Entertainment Group is honored to have been selected to operate the video lottery terminals at Aqueduct racetrack. We look forward to completing the memorandum of understanding and beginning construction.”
URL: http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2010/01/30/news/doc4b63602ce0698946448127.prt
© 2010 saratogian.com, a Journal Register Property
Saturday, January 30, 2010
By PAUL POST, The Saratogian
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The state’s long-awaited selection of an Aqueduct Race Track gaming operator is finally over.
Gov. David Paterson announced Friday that Aqueduct Entertainment Group has been awarded the 30-year contract to operate the downstate track’s 4,500 video lottery terminals.
The facility is expected to provide millions in new tax revenue to the cash-strapped state and give New York’s thoroughbred industry a major boost. Most importantly, Friday’s decision should prevent any threat of a racing shutdown, because AEG is obligated to give New York Racing Association funds to keep operating until the racino comes on line.
“AEG has both the financial viability and ability to pay the required up-front licensing fee,” Paterson said. “AEG complied with every request made during the review process and addressed satisfactorily all matters related to licensing ability. All of the groups have valid proposals, but AEG presented a comprehensive bid that enjoys community support and also offers strong marketing appeal.”
NYRA is slated to get 7 percent of racino revenues — 4 percent for capital improvements, 3 percent for operations. NYRA has already announced plans for $100 million worth of improvements at aging Saratoga Race Course, which could produce significant local construction during the next few years. Priorities include new restaurants, new backstretch worker dorms and major infrastructure overhauls in the grandstand such as plumbing and electrical work.
NYRA President and CEO Charles Hayward couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
Plans call for 3,000 VLTs within six months of AEG’s signing a memorandum of understanding with the state, AEG spokesman Davis Hodge said. The remaining 1,500 machines would come on line within a year’s time.
Larry Woolf, former head of MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, is one of AEG’s lead partners. He is currently head of the Navegante Group that runs Casino Niagara in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Other members of the AEG coalition are GreenStar Services Corp., Turner Construction Co., Levine Builders, The Darman Group Inc. and Empowerment Development Corp., PS&S Design, Siemens AG and Clairvest Group Inc. Navegante or its partners currently operate other casinos in Nevada, Wisconsin, Taiwan, Chile and other Canadian sites.
Paterson’s budget called for a minimum up-front payment to the state of at least $200 million from the winning bidder. However, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, said Friday he would only support Paterson’s selection if the up-front payment is increased to $300 million.
AEG could not immediately be reached for comment to see if it could provide the extra
$100 million.
AEG was one of five firms competing for the gaming contract. Others were Delaware North Companies partnered with Saratoga Gaming & Raceway, The Peebles Corp. and MGM; SL Green Realty Trust/Hard Rock Entertainment and Penn National Gaming.
Trainer Linda Rice hailed Friday’s announcement as a step in the right direction for New York racing. Many breeders have left New York for Pennsylvania, attracted to that state’s higher purses fueled by lucrative new casinos.
“I’m delighted that we can at least move forward,” she said. “I’m relieved to hear they’ve finally named someone. We’ve been waiting too long already. Hopefully we can regroup and pull things back together.”
Barry Ostrager, president of Saratoga Springs-based New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc., said, “We hope the implementation process is swift and uneventful. The announcement was certainly a long time coming and the state government has literally deprived the citizens of the state of a billion-plus dollars in revenue with the unnecessary delays that have attended this process.”
However, prominent Saratoga Springs horseman Jack Knowlton said, “Given the history of this, it may not be over yet.”
Penn National on Wednesday blasted Paterson and charged the state with a midstream change in the selection process rules. Penn National was the apparent high bidder with a $301 million up-front offer.
“We were extremely shocked and dismayed by the governor’s announcement, given we offered over $100 million more to the state than AEG in our bid,” said Eric Schippers, Penn National senior vice president. “In addition, our proposal complies with the conditions outlined by the speaker for the winning bidder. We remain committed to this project and will await further details about the selection process before commenting further.”
Some observers have speculated that one or more firms might sue the state.
Paterson, Silver and Senate Conference Leader John Sampson, D-Brooklyn, were charged with making the decision. Firms submitted bids last fall, but the selection was marked by one unexplained delay after another.
In addition to the extra
$100 million up-front payment, Silver said his support is contingent on several other items. They are:
ä Require use of existing approved footprint for a timely SEQRA approval. Any future development would be subject to the normal SEQRA process. No waiver requests or requests for expedited approval will be permitted.
ä All investors at any level, partners, directors, managers, contract holders and principal and other selected employees must obtain a license from the State Division of the Lottery. Anyone who has been denied a gaming license in any jurisdiction anywhere in the world, or convicted within the past 15 years of a felony or any other crime or offense involving fraud, larceny of any sort, theft, misappropriation or conversion of funds, or tax evasion is prohibited from obtaining a license.
ä Throughout the final approval process, all changes in the proposal including but not limited to partners, investors at any level, management, development or principal employees, and contracts must be reviewed by the Division of Lottery and approved by the three leaders prior to the conclusion of the approval process.
SL Green spokesman Rick Matthews said, “We question whether AEG can meet such conditions. We are awaiting word on that. We stand ready to re-engage state officials should AEG fail to meet conditions outlined by the speaker.”
Originally, Delaware North was chosen to run Aqueduct’s racino in October 2008. But when the economy collapsed, it couldn’t come up with the financing for a $370 million up-front pledge and the deal fell apart. Paterson announced last spring that he was starting the selection process over. Six firms submitted bids, three more than the first time. However, casino mogul Steve Wynn dropped out last fall because of ongoing delays, leaving five firms to choose from.
AEG partner Jeffrey Levine, founder and CEO of Levine Builders, said, “Aqueduct Entertainment Group is honored to have been selected to operate the video lottery terminals at Aqueduct racetrack. We look forward to completing the memorandum of understanding and beginning construction.”
URL: http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2010/01/30/news/doc4b63602ce0698946448127.prt
© 2010 saratogian.com, a Journal Register Property
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Fasig-tipton pavillion work underway
Fasig-Tipton work on show pavilion gets under way
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Text Size: A | A | A
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Work is beginning on the second phase of improvements at the Fasig-Tipton pavilion.
On Wednesday, contractors removed ground-level windows slated for replacement at the pavilion at 251 East Ave. The horse auction company decided in November to scale down, scrapping bigger expansion and facade plans because they aren’t needed, Fasig-Tipton attorney Michael Toohey said in a letter to the city Planning Department.
The first phase completed this summer — especially the walking ring that improved visibility for patrons looking at horses — proved so successful that more people view the horses outside rather than crowding into the pavilion.
“Many patrons, who previously preferred to participate inside the pavilion, now utilize the wonderful areas near the horse ring and exterior areas,” Toohey wrote.
“Our client believes the full expansion of the building is no longer necessary.”
The smaller — 450-square-foot, two-story — expansion will extend from the pavilion toward George Street, creating a new handicap-accessible entryway. Most of the work that was planned for the cedar-covered curved facade that faces East Avenue has been scrapped. Some of that work included a walkway to the back of the building, which the company found isn’t needed. The previously-proposed windows and awnings on the second floor are being eliminated as well, the plans state.
The Lexington, Ky.-based company still plans to build a landing inside the 1967 pavilion’s entrance for people with disabilities.
In November, Fasig-Tipton told the city it planned to scale down the project, which was approved in December 2008.
Other renovations completed last summer included sprucing up the bathrooms, creating an outdoor restaurant and relocating a snack bar.
Fasig-Tipton, the country’s oldest thoroughbred horse auction company, holds a yearling sale on the grounds in August. This year, the Select Yearling Sales are slated for Aug. 2 and 3.
Last year, the sales started an hour earlier than the traditional 7 p.m., with the on-site restaurant, Man O’ War, serving dinner to patrons.
Fasig-Tipton is owned by Synergy Investments Ltd. of Dubai, which is headed by Abdulla Al Habbai, a close associate of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and an avid horseman.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Text Size: A | A | A
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Work is beginning on the second phase of improvements at the Fasig-Tipton pavilion.
On Wednesday, contractors removed ground-level windows slated for replacement at the pavilion at 251 East Ave. The horse auction company decided in November to scale down, scrapping bigger expansion and facade plans because they aren’t needed, Fasig-Tipton attorney Michael Toohey said in a letter to the city Planning Department.
The first phase completed this summer — especially the walking ring that improved visibility for patrons looking at horses — proved so successful that more people view the horses outside rather than crowding into the pavilion.
“Many patrons, who previously preferred to participate inside the pavilion, now utilize the wonderful areas near the horse ring and exterior areas,” Toohey wrote.
“Our client believes the full expansion of the building is no longer necessary.”
The smaller — 450-square-foot, two-story — expansion will extend from the pavilion toward George Street, creating a new handicap-accessible entryway. Most of the work that was planned for the cedar-covered curved facade that faces East Avenue has been scrapped. Some of that work included a walkway to the back of the building, which the company found isn’t needed. The previously-proposed windows and awnings on the second floor are being eliminated as well, the plans state.
The Lexington, Ky.-based company still plans to build a landing inside the 1967 pavilion’s entrance for people with disabilities.
In November, Fasig-Tipton told the city it planned to scale down the project, which was approved in December 2008.
Other renovations completed last summer included sprucing up the bathrooms, creating an outdoor restaurant and relocating a snack bar.
Fasig-Tipton, the country’s oldest thoroughbred horse auction company, holds a yearling sale on the grounds in August. This year, the Select Yearling Sales are slated for Aug. 2 and 3.
Last year, the sales started an hour earlier than the traditional 7 p.m., with the on-site restaurant, Man O’ War, serving dinner to patrons.
Fasig-Tipton is owned by Synergy Investments Ltd. of Dubai, which is headed by Abdulla Al Habbai, a close associate of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and an avid horseman.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday, January 25, 2010
Yaddo recovery nearly complete
Yaddo’s recovery is nearly complete
Sunday, January 24, 2010
By Tatiana Zarnowski (Contact)
Gazette Reporter
Photographer: Marc Schultz
Quick Response Restoration employees, Evan Leggett, right, and Steven Nadeau,left, move books into the library space in the building at Yaddo that has been restored and refurbished after a smokey fire two years ago.Text Size: A | A | A
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Twenty months after a fire damaged Yaddo’s office building, the nonprofit artist retreat is still getting itself back together.
The $1.8 million restoration is nearly complete, with some refurnishing left and recovering items in storage. Work is expected to be totally finished by mid-March.
The changes improve handicap accessibility and modernize the building while still keeping its original atmosphere.
“I think people that were guests at Yaddo before will have that same feel when they walk into the building,” said Yaddo spokeswoman Lesley Leduc. “The building still looks the same from the outside.”
All artist services have been moved to the ground floor of the office building, a former garage for the Yaddo estate. An elevator — required by the building inspector and paid by insurance — makes the building handicapped-accessible for the first time ever.
The May 10, 2008, fire in Yaddo’s basement started with a riding lawn mower and spread to storage materials. An alarm alerted the fire department.
No one was in the building on that weekend night except the resident cat, Mr. Pink.
The cat was rescued unharmed and the fire extinguished before it could travel to the first floor.
But smoke permeated both upper floors, saturating the library’s 6,000-plus books, employees’ paper files and furniture.
Everything was taken away by fire recovery company Quick Response, passed through an ozone chamber to neutralize the smell or stored in trailers on the Yaddo property.
“They were the furthest from the fire,” Leduc said of the library books, which were all written and donated by Yaddo artists. “Nothing of historical value or significance was lost.”
That’s a small miracle, considering the treasure trove of information stored at Yaddo about resident artists and historical information about Spencer and Katrina Trask, who lived at the estate before their deaths.
Artist guests in the last year and a half missed not being able to use the library, Leduc said, but overall, artists weren’t affected by the fire.
At that time, Yaddo was weatherizing the mansion kitchen so it could be operated in the winter, so guests have been fed there since the fire. Before that, the office building’s second floor housed the “winter kitchen,” because the airy mansion was too difficult and expensive to heat in the winter.
Staffers were put out by the fire, and moved into the mansion’s music hall, working in close quarters right after the blaze.
Then they moved back into the office building, working off folding tables and with improvised lighting.
Even now, employees are just beginning to get their furniture back.
The trying time has inspired kindness from the Yaddo artist community, Leduc said. One former guest donated money for adjustable library shelves.
“Our librarian is ecstatic,” she said of volunteer librarian Susan Brynteson, who comes once a year from Delaware to catalog and shelve books.
Of the $1.8 million in work, $1.4 million was covered by insurance, and the rest are voluntary upgrades, such as bringing undamaged wiring up to today’s standards in the 1910 building and making the heating system more efficient, Leduc said.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
By Tatiana Zarnowski (Contact)
Gazette Reporter
Photographer: Marc Schultz
Quick Response Restoration employees, Evan Leggett, right, and Steven Nadeau,left, move books into the library space in the building at Yaddo that has been restored and refurbished after a smokey fire two years ago.Text Size: A | A | A
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Twenty months after a fire damaged Yaddo’s office building, the nonprofit artist retreat is still getting itself back together.
The $1.8 million restoration is nearly complete, with some refurnishing left and recovering items in storage. Work is expected to be totally finished by mid-March.
The changes improve handicap accessibility and modernize the building while still keeping its original atmosphere.
“I think people that were guests at Yaddo before will have that same feel when they walk into the building,” said Yaddo spokeswoman Lesley Leduc. “The building still looks the same from the outside.”
All artist services have been moved to the ground floor of the office building, a former garage for the Yaddo estate. An elevator — required by the building inspector and paid by insurance — makes the building handicapped-accessible for the first time ever.
The May 10, 2008, fire in Yaddo’s basement started with a riding lawn mower and spread to storage materials. An alarm alerted the fire department.
No one was in the building on that weekend night except the resident cat, Mr. Pink.
The cat was rescued unharmed and the fire extinguished before it could travel to the first floor.
But smoke permeated both upper floors, saturating the library’s 6,000-plus books, employees’ paper files and furniture.
Everything was taken away by fire recovery company Quick Response, passed through an ozone chamber to neutralize the smell or stored in trailers on the Yaddo property.
“They were the furthest from the fire,” Leduc said of the library books, which were all written and donated by Yaddo artists. “Nothing of historical value or significance was lost.”
That’s a small miracle, considering the treasure trove of information stored at Yaddo about resident artists and historical information about Spencer and Katrina Trask, who lived at the estate before their deaths.
Artist guests in the last year and a half missed not being able to use the library, Leduc said, but overall, artists weren’t affected by the fire.
At that time, Yaddo was weatherizing the mansion kitchen so it could be operated in the winter, so guests have been fed there since the fire. Before that, the office building’s second floor housed the “winter kitchen,” because the airy mansion was too difficult and expensive to heat in the winter.
Staffers were put out by the fire, and moved into the mansion’s music hall, working in close quarters right after the blaze.
Then they moved back into the office building, working off folding tables and with improvised lighting.
Even now, employees are just beginning to get their furniture back.
The trying time has inspired kindness from the Yaddo artist community, Leduc said. One former guest donated money for adjustable library shelves.
“Our librarian is ecstatic,” she said of volunteer librarian Susan Brynteson, who comes once a year from Delaware to catalog and shelve books.
Of the $1.8 million in work, $1.4 million was covered by insurance, and the rest are voluntary upgrades, such as bringing undamaged wiring up to today’s standards in the 1910 building and making the heating system more efficient, Leduc said.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Interesting how many of SPAC Board are Bruno's strongest supporters including Marcia White his former Press Secretary.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mrs. Marylou Whitney
Honorary Chair
William P. Dake
Chair
Marcia J. White
President & Executive Director
E. Stewart Jones, Jr
Vice Chair
Edward J. Lewi
Secretary
Abraham M. Lackman
Treasurer
Matthew Bender IV
Meyer S. Frucher
John J. Gilbert III
George R. Hearst III
Daniel J. Hogarty, Jr
Larry King
Heather Mabee
I. Norman Massry
Donald J. McCormack
Ed Mitzen
Eleanor K. Mullaney
John J. Nigro
A. John Popp, M.D
Susan Phillips Read
Arthur J. Roth
Dolores Sarno
Nancy Touhey
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Bruno: 'I live life a day at a time'
Fundraiser draws loyalists of convicted former state senator; protest outside
By JAMES M. ODATO AND BRENDAN J. LYONS, Staff writers
Click byline for more stories by writer.
First published: Wednesday, January 20, 2010
COLONIE -- Roughly 200 supporters, including bankers, lobbyists and area business leaders, turned out for a fundraiser Tuesday evening for Joseph L. Bruno, the former state Senate majority leader convicted last month of felony corruption charges.
Bruno arrived at the Desmond Hotel near the Albany International Airport just before 6 p.m. flanked by attorneys E. Stewart Jones of Troy and Stephen Coffey of Albany.
"The system is what it is," said Bruno, who faces possibly multiple years in prison at his sentencing, scheduled for March 26. ""I lived within the system. I thought I was getting the proper advice. I live life a day at a time. I have faith in the Lord … I'm not projecting too far out."
John Nigro, a commercial real estate developer who is also a state Legislative Ethics Committee member, joined in organizing the event.
Among the notable attendees were banker Daniel J. Hogarty Jr.; Price Chopper President Neil Golub, who like some others, entered through a side door; lobbyists James Crane and James Featherstonhaugh, who was the first witness called by the government at Bruno's trial; lobbyist David Dudley, a former Rensselaer County Republican chairman and former Senate counsel to Bruno; Rensselaer County Clerk Frank Merola; and ex- state Sen. Mike Hoblock.
Also present were: Robert Mujica, a Senate budget specialist; former Senate counsel Michael Avella; Abe Lackman, an ex-state Senate finance secretary under Bruno; state Senate GOP spokesman John McArdle; ex-Senate secretary Steve Boggess and Jack Casey, a Senate lawyer.
"He's a lifelong friend," Merola said.
Frank MacKay, state chairman for the Independence Party of America, which has endorsed Bruno over the years, said he drove up from Suffolk County because Bruno "is a friend forever."
Jerry Bilinski, a Columbia County veterinarian and Bruno friend, also attended. Bilinski owned and bred horses with Bruno. Those dealings were the subject of a portion of the indictment against Bruno, whose conviction included one count related to his horse breeding interests.
There were also several employees of CMA Consulting Services, which cut ties to Bruno, who was CEO, after his conviction last month on two counts of theft of honest services mail fraud.
James Barba, the head of Albany Medical Center, attended.
A.J. Sperrazza Jr., chairman and CEO of a Troy-based company that makes bearings, said he attended because Bruno has been a great leader who has done a lot for the community and upstate.
"I recognize astuteness and getting to the point and accomplishing something," Sperrazza said. "The man has gotten a lot done for people in this state."
The fundraiser's invitation indicated the price to attend the short cocktail reception ranged from $250 to $1,000. The event took place in a courtyard conference room inside the hotel and many guests left quickly after Bruno made a few remarks to the crowd.
Security at the hotel was tight and private hotel security officers closed the doors to the spacious conference room when Bruno addressed the crowd. Organizers declined to allow reporters inside the conference room.
MacKay, who heard the remarks, said Bruno joked "people usually like to be introduced … this is where everyone asks me to not introduce them."
Outside, 16 protesters stood in the rain at the edge of the hotel parking lot holding signs and banners that said: "Felon Joe Fundraiser," "Bribes Accepted," and "Money Out Of Politics."
The protesters were comprised of an informal coalition, said organizer Joseph Seeman, from groups such as Citizen Action, MoveOn.org, Tea Party Patriots and the Green Party.
Town police officers monitored the protesters without incident.
Bruno, who has received financial help from the community since being indicted on eight federal felony charges a year ago, told reporters gathered outside that he did not want to discuss his personal life. He said the event was organized by others and that he was told legislators were not invited.
Bruno declined to discuss the role of Nigro, whose post-conviction support of Bruno has received criticism by some government watchdog groups due to his role as a member of the Legislative ethics panel. Nigro testified for the defense at Bruno's trial as a character witness for the former senator.
Jones, who is part of a group called "Lawyers for Bruno" that formed last year, characterized Bruno as a decent man.
"This is not as much about the senator … this was to tell him how much we care about the senator," Jones said. "In the history of our region no one has had more impact on this region as Sen. Bruno. … Not since Gov. Rockefeller … has anybody come into this region and impacted it as much as Sen. Bruno. We could be another Detroit if not for this man."
Coffey said Bruno is a decent man who has treated people with respect. He added Bruno has endured intense pressure, public ridicule and depression from the ordeal.
A guest who attended the event said not everyone in attendance was required to pay. Some had contributed earlier to Bruno and were invited to Tuesday's event.
Bruno did not testify at his trial. He was convicted of corruption charges that alleged he used his political muscle to secretly enrich himself during a 14-year reign as majority leader.
Bruno's campaign funds, which once topped $1.5 million, were drained to pay for his trial costs. His attorneys said they will appeal the conviction.
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Mrs. Marylou Whitney
Honorary Chair
William P. Dake
Chair
Marcia J. White
President & Executive Director
E. Stewart Jones, Jr
Vice Chair
Edward J. Lewi
Secretary
Abraham M. Lackman
Treasurer
Matthew Bender IV
Meyer S. Frucher
John J. Gilbert III
George R. Hearst III
Daniel J. Hogarty, Jr
Larry King
Heather Mabee
I. Norman Massry
Donald J. McCormack
Ed Mitzen
Eleanor K. Mullaney
John J. Nigro
A. John Popp, M.D
Susan Phillips Read
Arthur J. Roth
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Bruno: 'I live life a day at a time'
Fundraiser draws loyalists of convicted former state senator; protest outside
By JAMES M. ODATO AND BRENDAN J. LYONS, Staff writers
Click byline for more stories by writer.
First published: Wednesday, January 20, 2010
COLONIE -- Roughly 200 supporters, including bankers, lobbyists and area business leaders, turned out for a fundraiser Tuesday evening for Joseph L. Bruno, the former state Senate majority leader convicted last month of felony corruption charges.
Bruno arrived at the Desmond Hotel near the Albany International Airport just before 6 p.m. flanked by attorneys E. Stewart Jones of Troy and Stephen Coffey of Albany.
"The system is what it is," said Bruno, who faces possibly multiple years in prison at his sentencing, scheduled for March 26. ""I lived within the system. I thought I was getting the proper advice. I live life a day at a time. I have faith in the Lord … I'm not projecting too far out."
John Nigro, a commercial real estate developer who is also a state Legislative Ethics Committee member, joined in organizing the event.
Among the notable attendees were banker Daniel J. Hogarty Jr.; Price Chopper President Neil Golub, who like some others, entered through a side door; lobbyists James Crane and James Featherstonhaugh, who was the first witness called by the government at Bruno's trial; lobbyist David Dudley, a former Rensselaer County Republican chairman and former Senate counsel to Bruno; Rensselaer County Clerk Frank Merola; and ex- state Sen. Mike Hoblock.
Also present were: Robert Mujica, a Senate budget specialist; former Senate counsel Michael Avella; Abe Lackman, an ex-state Senate finance secretary under Bruno; state Senate GOP spokesman John McArdle; ex-Senate secretary Steve Boggess and Jack Casey, a Senate lawyer.
"He's a lifelong friend," Merola said.
Frank MacKay, state chairman for the Independence Party of America, which has endorsed Bruno over the years, said he drove up from Suffolk County because Bruno "is a friend forever."
Jerry Bilinski, a Columbia County veterinarian and Bruno friend, also attended. Bilinski owned and bred horses with Bruno. Those dealings were the subject of a portion of the indictment against Bruno, whose conviction included one count related to his horse breeding interests.
There were also several employees of CMA Consulting Services, which cut ties to Bruno, who was CEO, after his conviction last month on two counts of theft of honest services mail fraud.
James Barba, the head of Albany Medical Center, attended.
A.J. Sperrazza Jr., chairman and CEO of a Troy-based company that makes bearings, said he attended because Bruno has been a great leader who has done a lot for the community and upstate.
"I recognize astuteness and getting to the point and accomplishing something," Sperrazza said. "The man has gotten a lot done for people in this state."
The fundraiser's invitation indicated the price to attend the short cocktail reception ranged from $250 to $1,000. The event took place in a courtyard conference room inside the hotel and many guests left quickly after Bruno made a few remarks to the crowd.
Security at the hotel was tight and private hotel security officers closed the doors to the spacious conference room when Bruno addressed the crowd. Organizers declined to allow reporters inside the conference room.
MacKay, who heard the remarks, said Bruno joked "people usually like to be introduced … this is where everyone asks me to not introduce them."
Outside, 16 protesters stood in the rain at the edge of the hotel parking lot holding signs and banners that said: "Felon Joe Fundraiser," "Bribes Accepted," and "Money Out Of Politics."
The protesters were comprised of an informal coalition, said organizer Joseph Seeman, from groups such as Citizen Action, MoveOn.org, Tea Party Patriots and the Green Party.
Town police officers monitored the protesters without incident.
Bruno, who has received financial help from the community since being indicted on eight federal felony charges a year ago, told reporters gathered outside that he did not want to discuss his personal life. He said the event was organized by others and that he was told legislators were not invited.
Bruno declined to discuss the role of Nigro, whose post-conviction support of Bruno has received criticism by some government watchdog groups due to his role as a member of the Legislative ethics panel. Nigro testified for the defense at Bruno's trial as a character witness for the former senator.
Jones, who is part of a group called "Lawyers for Bruno" that formed last year, characterized Bruno as a decent man.
"This is not as much about the senator … this was to tell him how much we care about the senator," Jones said. "In the history of our region no one has had more impact on this region as Sen. Bruno. … Not since Gov. Rockefeller … has anybody come into this region and impacted it as much as Sen. Bruno. We could be another Detroit if not for this man."
Coffey said Bruno is a decent man who has treated people with respect. He added Bruno has endured intense pressure, public ridicule and depression from the ordeal.
A guest who attended the event said not everyone in attendance was required to pay. Some had contributed earlier to Bruno and were invited to Tuesday's event.
Bruno did not testify at his trial. He was convicted of corruption charges that alleged he used his political muscle to secretly enrich himself during a 14-year reign as majority leader.
Bruno's campaign funds, which once topped $1.5 million, were drained to pay for his trial costs. His attorneys said they will appeal the conviction.
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Sunday, January 17, 2010
corporate sponsor naming SPAC for 1st time ever.
HSBC to underwrite SPAC season
Classical shows get title sponsor
Saturday, January 16, 2010
By Tatiana Zarnowski (Contact)
Gazette Reporter
Text Size: A | A | A
SARATOGA SPRINGS — For the first time ever, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center’s entire classical season will be named for a corporate sponsor.
HSBC Bank USA is the title sponsor for the summer season, and SPAC is the recipient of the global banking company’s largest arts sponsorship this year in the U.S.
Never mind that HSBC has no branches in Saratoga Springs — the closest location is at Target on Route 50 in Wilton. HSBC calls itself “the world’s local bank” and has more than 470 bank branches in the U.S., including over 370 in New York state.
The bank has offered to pay SPAC an undisclosed amount to have its name appear on all materials associated with the season. “The HSBC Classical Season at Saratoga Performing Arts Center” will bring artists to SPAC including the return of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York City Ballet.
“This sponsorship represents an opportunity for HSBC to expand its commitment to the Capital Region and to celebrate the classical season and artistic excellence of SPAC with our customers, employees and the rest of the community,” said Andrew Ireland, executive vice president and regional president for upstate retail banking.
The banking company approached SPAC about being a title sponsor, said Marcia White, SPAC president and executive director.
“I think they identified with us because they have a world-class identity and global vision,” she said.
SPAC officials are clearly thrilled about the sponsorship, especially as donors cut back on their support of the arts nationwide.
“People may feel that they’re not in a position to personally support the arts to the extent they want to,” White said.
HSBC asked SPAC not to divulge how much the bank is paying for the sponsorship. Overall, SPAC earned $561,000 from corporate sponsorships last year and aims to hit $625,000 this year.
A company that wants to sponsor one night pays $8,500, White said. “We have an array of different kinds of sponsorships,” she added.
Board chairman William Dake noted that SPAC is faring better than many arts organizations during the economic slump.
“It is the old story of people seeking association with success,” Dake said.
He said HSBC wanted to sponsor more arts events after being affiliated more prominently with sports.
“I think we offer both a strong image in the greater Capital District but also in the city [New York] as well.”
Corporate sponsors help cover the cost of classical performances, since ticket sales cover only half of the cost of bringing the acts to SPAC.
Dake said SPAC creates a world-class atmosphere that draws people to move their businesses here, retire here or have a summer home.
“The psychological impact of having a cultural center instead of a cultural wasteland has a tremendous amount to do with the success of the area,” he said.
Programming for the HSBC Classical Season at Saratoga Performing Arts Center will be announced in the coming weeks. Updates will be available at www.spac.org.
Classical shows get title sponsor
Saturday, January 16, 2010
By Tatiana Zarnowski (Contact)
Gazette Reporter
Text Size: A | A | A
SARATOGA SPRINGS — For the first time ever, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center’s entire classical season will be named for a corporate sponsor.
HSBC Bank USA is the title sponsor for the summer season, and SPAC is the recipient of the global banking company’s largest arts sponsorship this year in the U.S.
Never mind that HSBC has no branches in Saratoga Springs — the closest location is at Target on Route 50 in Wilton. HSBC calls itself “the world’s local bank” and has more than 470 bank branches in the U.S., including over 370 in New York state.
The bank has offered to pay SPAC an undisclosed amount to have its name appear on all materials associated with the season. “The HSBC Classical Season at Saratoga Performing Arts Center” will bring artists to SPAC including the return of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York City Ballet.
“This sponsorship represents an opportunity for HSBC to expand its commitment to the Capital Region and to celebrate the classical season and artistic excellence of SPAC with our customers, employees and the rest of the community,” said Andrew Ireland, executive vice president and regional president for upstate retail banking.
The banking company approached SPAC about being a title sponsor, said Marcia White, SPAC president and executive director.
“I think they identified with us because they have a world-class identity and global vision,” she said.
SPAC officials are clearly thrilled about the sponsorship, especially as donors cut back on their support of the arts nationwide.
“People may feel that they’re not in a position to personally support the arts to the extent they want to,” White said.
HSBC asked SPAC not to divulge how much the bank is paying for the sponsorship. Overall, SPAC earned $561,000 from corporate sponsorships last year and aims to hit $625,000 this year.
A company that wants to sponsor one night pays $8,500, White said. “We have an array of different kinds of sponsorships,” she added.
Board chairman William Dake noted that SPAC is faring better than many arts organizations during the economic slump.
“It is the old story of people seeking association with success,” Dake said.
He said HSBC wanted to sponsor more arts events after being affiliated more prominently with sports.
“I think we offer both a strong image in the greater Capital District but also in the city [New York] as well.”
Corporate sponsors help cover the cost of classical performances, since ticket sales cover only half of the cost of bringing the acts to SPAC.
Dake said SPAC creates a world-class atmosphere that draws people to move their businesses here, retire here or have a summer home.
“The psychological impact of having a cultural center instead of a cultural wasteland has a tremendous amount to do with the success of the area,” he said.
Programming for the HSBC Classical Season at Saratoga Performing Arts Center will be announced in the coming weeks. Updates will be available at www.spac.org.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Hoosick removes senator bruno from town park, Times Union,1/1/10. Will Saratoga follow suit at the spring in the State Park?
Down goes the name
Well before the results of our little poll were in, the Hoosick Town Board was already moving away from Bruno.
While other organizations have balked at stripping Bruno's name from public facilities, on Tuesday night the four Democrats and one Republican on the board voted 5-0 to drop the ex-senator's moniker from the town park and re-christen it the Coach Ken Baker Memorial Sports Center.
While Bruno may have held the key to the state's treasure, Baker held the hearts of the Hoosick Falls community.
Baker, who died Jan. 2, 2008 at the age of 69, was a successful football and wrestling coach at Hoosick Falls High School as well as Columbia and Cambridge high schools. He also was a lifeguard and taught swimming at the pool in the park.
"People had talked about it. It's named after a person who was part of the park,'' said Supervisor Marilyn Douglas, a Democrat whose last day in office was Dec. 31.
The name change came at the last meeting before the Republicans take a 4 to 1 majority on the board. Administration changes seem to have an impact on the park's name. Prior to Douglas taking over in 2000, the outgoing administration named the park for Bruno.
Is it us or is $70,000 for a study of Saratoga Spa State Park traffic a little excessive in these difficult times?
.Saratoga Snippets
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Transit officials want input on Route 50
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010
State and local officials announced on Tuesday that they will be undertaking a $70,000 study to examine how the Route 50 corridor adjacent to the Saratoga Spa State Park can be improved.
The study, paid for by the Capital District Transportation Committee, will look at the roadway between East West Road, at the southern end of the state park, and the New Street intersection, where Espey Manufacturing is located, officials said (map).
One of the primary goals of the study is to find a way that pedestrians and bicyclists can enter the state park from Saratoga Springs without having to travel on Route 50.
Saratoga County’s Zim Smith Trail could eventually provide access to the park from the south end, but exactly how that path could be continued north into Saratoga Springs remains undetermined. Finding a way to link the park to the existing Railroad Run trail — which begins on Circular Street and ends on New Street near the entrance to the Saratoga YMCA — would be ideal, officials say.
Transportation officials will also look at how pedestrians and bicyclists can be ushered across Geyser Road into the state park as part of the study. A new trail along Geyser Road remains under development, and there is a hope that either an overpass or demarked walkway can be used to connect its eastern terminus with the state park.
Officials have long discussed such improvements because pedestrians and bicyclists entering and leaving the state park from the roadway often commingle with vehicles traveling at high speeds and trucks visiting the Grande Industrial Park on Geyser Road.
The study will also explore ways to beautify the corridor so that it more closely resembles the South Broadway entrance to the city, officials said. Similar efforts are being considered on the Route 50 entrance to Saratoga Springs from Wilton.
To help craft their plan, state and local officials have scheduled a “public workshop” for 6 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Gideon Putnam Hotel, located in the state park.
Officials involved with the study said they hope the study will allow them to eventually produce a formal proposal that they could then bring to the state Department of Transportation for funding in the future.
Photo: The South Broadway entrance to Saratoga Springs. Transportation officials say they hope the Route 50 entrance to the city from Milton can be redesigned using some of the same elements to become more inviting.
– Drew Kerr
Posted in Saratoga Snippets | No Comments (Add a Comment) »
Blog updates are now on Home » Blogs » Saratoga Snippets
Transit officials want input on Route 50
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010
State and local officials announced on Tuesday that they will be undertaking a $70,000 study to examine how the Route 50 corridor adjacent to the Saratoga Spa State Park can be improved.
The study, paid for by the Capital District Transportation Committee, will look at the roadway between East West Road, at the southern end of the state park, and the New Street intersection, where Espey Manufacturing is located, officials said (map).
One of the primary goals of the study is to find a way that pedestrians and bicyclists can enter the state park from Saratoga Springs without having to travel on Route 50.
Saratoga County’s Zim Smith Trail could eventually provide access to the park from the south end, but exactly how that path could be continued north into Saratoga Springs remains undetermined. Finding a way to link the park to the existing Railroad Run trail — which begins on Circular Street and ends on New Street near the entrance to the Saratoga YMCA — would be ideal, officials say.
Transportation officials will also look at how pedestrians and bicyclists can be ushered across Geyser Road into the state park as part of the study. A new trail along Geyser Road remains under development, and there is a hope that either an overpass or demarked walkway can be used to connect its eastern terminus with the state park.
Officials have long discussed such improvements because pedestrians and bicyclists entering and leaving the state park from the roadway often commingle with vehicles traveling at high speeds and trucks visiting the Grande Industrial Park on Geyser Road.
The study will also explore ways to beautify the corridor so that it more closely resembles the South Broadway entrance to the city, officials said. Similar efforts are being considered on the Route 50 entrance to Saratoga Springs from Wilton.
To help craft their plan, state and local officials have scheduled a “public workshop” for 6 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Gideon Putnam Hotel, located in the state park.
Officials involved with the study said they hope the study will allow them to eventually produce a formal proposal that they could then bring to the state Department of Transportation for funding in the future.
Photo: The South Broadway entrance to Saratoga Springs. Transportation officials say they hope the Route 50 entrance to the city from Milton can be redesigned using some of the same elements to become more inviting.
– Drew Kerr
Posted in Saratoga Snippets | No Comments (Add a Comment) »
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Ugly orange fencing all over Saratoga Spa State Park and trees cut down to keep golfers happy mar beauty for the rest of us.
Spa State Park a draw despite deep freeze
Sunday, January 3, 2010
By Jessica Harding (Contact)
Gazette Reporter
Photographer: Barry Sloan
Tina Purdy of A Time to Remember Carriage and Sleigh Rides guides her horses toward the Gideon Putnam Resort to pick up passengers in Saratoga Spa State Park on Sunday.Text Size: A | A | A
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Jerry Todd of Saratoga Springs walked his 8-year-old Shetland sheepdog Kayla in Saratoga Spa State Park Sunday afternoon as a light snow fell. He periodically had to stop to remove ice from the pads of Kayla’s paws. “She doesn’t like it when that happens,” he said.
Despite the below-freezing temperatures Sunday afternoon, the state park was still bustling with activity, from cross-country skiers to snowshoers and ice skaters. People don’t stay away from the park, even in winter.
Temperatures on Sunday did not get above 14 degrees, according to Hugh Johnson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Albany. Average lows for this time of year are 15, he said.
On top of the chill, winds gusted between 20 and 30 mph all day, making it feel like it was between minus 5 and minus 10 degrees outside.
Regardless, Todd said he tries to get out to the park every day, no matter what it’s doing outside. He said he’ll spend an hour at least walking Kayla around the park. Todd said he likes the way the park looks in the winter, covered in snow, and how peaceful it is.
“I love it out here. It’s so nice. It’s cold, but once you start going you warm up,” he said. Peace and quiet is also what draws Hilarie and Jene Beach of Saratoga Springs to the state park most days. They were bundled up for a walk to the tree farm Sunday afternoon. Jene Beach said he likes the fact that no one else is around and it is often quiet enough to spot a deer, fox, or rabbit among the trees.
The couple said they don’t mind the cold for an hour or so and like to get outside for fresh air even when the temperatures are in the teens.
Jim Stegman of Saratoga Springs was skating alone Sunday afternoon on the skating pond in front of the Victoria Pool.
Stegman said he skates on the pond as often as he remembers to. He said the skating pond isn’t a highly publicized activity in the park, so he sometimes forgets about it.
Stegman said he likes being outside skating because he likes feeling like he is doing a traditional Northeast activity.
“Skating is good exercise. It’s cheap to do. All you need is a pair of skates that, if you’re an adult, could last you a lifetime, and it’s a classic outdoor activity,” he said. “It almost takes you back in time.”
A new winter activity in the Spa State Park also attempts to take participants back in time.
Tina Purdy has begun to offer horse-drawn carriage rides in the park through her new business A Time to Remember Carriage and Sleigh Rides. Purdy began offering carriage and sleigh rides
on Christmas Eve and said they have become another popular attraction for the state park.
Her two black Percheron horses, Ivy and Leah, pull the carriages through the park each weekend to take riders on a half hour trip.
A Time to Remember Carriage and Sleigh Rides has been a dream of Purdy’s for years, she said Sunday.
Purdy, who lives in Hudson Falls, has three Percherons along with a bunch of riding horses.
The carriage rides are popular, especially in the evenings when the carriage is lit up with a string of Christmas lights wrapped around garland. The park is lit by rows of torches, which adds to the romance, Purdy said, and riders curl up under thick blankets.
However, carriage rides were not too popular Sunday afternoon in the cold weather. Only two people went for a ride in the 14-person carriage. Purdy said she had a lot of cancellations.
Purdy books appointments and bases her operations out of the Gideon Putnam Hotel and Conference Center.
Her daughter, Kara Moak, who helps run the business, said the rides are popular with couples, but also with families. A carriage ride costs $25 for adults, $10 for children 12 and under and children under 3 years old ride free.
Those who revel in outdoor winter activities will feel a bit more comfortable outside this week as temperatures begin to climb into the 20s and 30s. According to Johnson, temperatures will be in the mid-20s today and Tuesday with less wind. Temperatures should reach the 30s by Wednesday and Thursday before taking another dive into the teens for the weekend.
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