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Statements from Governor David A. Paterson and Commissioner Carol Ash

ALBANY, NY (02/19/2010)(readMedia)-- The Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) today put forward a 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.

Governor David A. Paterson issued the following statement:

" 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."

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: Brookhaven Suffolk Close Park Eliminate Winter Sports; Suffolk 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 Suffolk Close Swimming Pool Close West Swimming Pool; Nassau Eliminate July 4th fireworks Suffolk Close Swimming Pool Nissequogue River State Park Suffolk Close Park Suffolk Close Park Suffolk Close Park Region Bayswater Point State Park Queens Close Park Reduce Operating Hours; Close Outdoor Swimming Pool; New York 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 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 State Park Putnam Close Arden Point Area Dutchess Reduce 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 – Rudd Pond Dutchess Close Rudd Pond Area Putnam Close Park Saratoga-Capital Region Bennington Battlefield State Park Rensselaer Close Historic Site 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 Historic Site Albany Close Historic Site Central Region Chittenango Falls State Park Madison Close Park Clark Reservation State Park Onondaga Close Park Fort 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 Broome Close Park Old Erie Canal State Park Onondaga Close Park Oriskany Battlefield/Steuben SHS Oneida Close Historic Site Oneida Close Park Robert Riddell State Park Delaware Close Park Selkirk Shores State Park Oswego Close Public Swimming Beach 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 Close Lake Swimming Beach Steuben Close Public Swimming Area Thousand Islands Region Canoe Island State Park Jefferson Close Park Cedar Island State Park Jefferson Close Park St. Lawrence Close 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 Monroe Close Swimming Beach 3 Days per Week Oak Orchard State Marine Park Orleans Close Park Regionwide Multiple Eliminate Camper Recreation Program Niagara Region Niagara Close Park Erie Close Park State Park Niagara Reduce Interpretive Programs Wilson-Tuscarora State Park Niagara Close Park Woodlawn Beach State Park Erie Close Park Allegany Region Close Quaker Area Swim Beach; Close Quaker Cabins Area on December 1st; Cattaraugus Eliminate Winter Trails Maintenance; Reduce Recreation Programs Long Point State Park Chautauqua Close Park ###