Hours At The Bennington Battlefield Also Cut Back
by Kieron Kramer
On April 9 the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation announced changes in the 2009-10 operating schedules at a number of parks and historic sites in the Saratoga-Capital Region. The changes reflect a reduction in State spending at parks and historic sites statewide.
“State Parks, like all State agencies, is responding to the current economic realities. We have been charged with making many difficult decisions, and the changes we announce today are among them,” said Commissioner Carol Ash.
“By concentrating the changes to the shoulder seasons, off-peak hours or facilities where similar services are available nearby, we hope to minimize the impact on our patrons,” said Ash.
While approximately 100 parks and historic sites across the State will see some reduction in services, Ash noted that no parks have been closed in full, and the daily entrance fee to the parks is unchanged.
At Cherry Plain State Park the swimming beach will be closed Mondays (except holidays) and Tuesdays. The campground will open late on July 4 instead of Memorial Day and close early on September 7.
At Grafton Lakes State Park the swimming beach will be closed Wednesdays and Thursdays. There are no camping facilities at GLSP.
There will be a shortened season, reduced hours of operations or reduced programming at the Bennington Battlefield State Historic Site.
The reaction to the State Parks announcement from the County Legislature was swift and strong. At Tuesday’s session a resolution in opposition to the reduction of services at these parks passed unanimously. The resolution said that both Grafton Lakes State Park and Cherry Plain State Park have been popular destinations for camping, swimming and picnicking for generations. The reduction in service at Grafton and Cherry Plain State Parks would be particularly burdensome, as the closure of the beaches would take place during a recession when many Rensselaer County families will be seeking affordable recreation opportunities close to home. The projected savings from the reduction in service at Grafton and Cherry Plain State Parks is offset by the loss in revenue to County businesses and the damage to tourism efforts by the County, along with the negative impact to the two State Parks.
County Legislators Lester Goodermote and Stan Brownell are particularly upset with the announcement that the Grafton and Cherry Plain State Parks will be closed two days a week during the summer. Ticked off is more like it.
In an interview after the Legislative session both men expressed their anger at the reduction in services at the recreation areas in the district they represent.
“I am enraged,” Goodermote said, “They raise our taxes and then take away the services.” This is a service to the people and we are talking about very little money here, he added.
Brownell said, “It’s upsetting; parks are a win-win situation. This will hurt high school kids and college kids who count on these local jobs.”
In a recession why eliminate affordable recreation with protected swimming and cookouts close to home, Goodermote asked. “I’ve never seen so many people unemployed or underemployed as this year,” he said.
Brownell thought that some creative management at the parks could save the same amount of money as closing down the beaches for two days. And he doesn’t get at all why hours at the Bennington Battlefield will be reduced. “The Town of Hoosick opens and closes the gate; there is nothing up there but an outhouse,” he said.
Both Legislators pointed out that this will hurt tourism in Rensselaer County and impact local businesses like the Grafton Town Store and Hewitt’s Market where people heading out to the beach buy food and snacks. People come from all over to go to these parks Brownell said. Goodermote stressed that this is a service to the people that government should not take away.