Unincorporated Greenburgh Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 7.0 Parks, Trails, Open Space and Recreational Facilities 7.1 Relationship to Guiding Principles Parks, trails, open space and recreational facilities are valuable assets that contribute positively to the quality of life of residents in unincorporated Greenburgh. This Plan recommends preservation and enhancement of these assets. There are over 1,200 acres of parkland in 7.2 Parks, Special Park Districts and Miscellaneous Parcels unincorporated Greenburgh. Figure 7.1 depicts the location of the approximately 1,261 acres of parkland that exist within unincorporated Greenburgh’s borders. Sections 7.2.1 through 7.2.7 provide information on the ownership, the size, and the recommended classification of these parks based on categories used by the National Recreation and Park Association. Brief descriptions of some of the larger parks are provided. 7.2.1 Unincorporated Greenburgh Parks Parks owned jointly with other governing The Town of Greenburgh exclusively or jointly owns approximately 632 acres of bodies and parks that parkland. Table 7.1 contains an inventory of unincorporated Greenburgh parks and received LWCF identifies those parks that were purchased jointly with other entities or that received funding are open to funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Regardless of ownership, residents from outside the Town’s Department of Parks and Recreation operates and maintains these parks unincorporated which range in size from 0.14 acres (Bob Gold Parklet) to approximately 190 acres Greenburgh. (Taxter Road Park Preserve). Most of the listed parks provide active and/or passive recreation opportunities; however, eight of the parcels provide no recreational opportunities and are designated as undeveloped (UD) land. Many of the preserves and parks listed in Table 7.1 have been formally dedicated as parkland; however, it is recommended that a local law be adopted formally designating all of these parcels as parkland. Park #34 on Figure 7.1 is a small greenspace adjacent to the Hartsdale Train Station. It contains landscaping, a World War I monument, pathway and a bike rack. It is owned by the Hartsdale Public Parking District. Ownership of this space by the Town of Greenburgh would be necessary prior to dedicating this area as Town parkland. 7.2.2 Special Park Districts Two special park districts (Cotswold and Greenridge) totaling approximately 6.6 acres of land are located in unincorporated Greenburgh. The Cotswold Park District contains O’Gorman Park, a 0.75 acre parcel located on the south side of Ardsley Road at the intersection of Cotswold Way and Old Army Road and the Central Park Avenue buffer/open space, a 5.3 acre stretch of wooded area on the northbound side of Central Park Avenue from Ardsley Road to Clifton Road. The Greenridge Park District contains a 0.60 acre wooded lot located at the intersection of Old Colony The Cotswold Park District Road and Club Way. Residents of each respective park district purchased 7-1 9-28-16 Chapter 7.0 Parks, Trails, Open Space and Recreation Facilities Table 7.1: Town of Greenburgh Parks Inventory (Unincorporated Greenburgh Parks) Map Key Name Area (acres) Recommended Classification* 1 Glenville Woods Park Preserve** 44.6 CP 4 Pocantico Park (LWCF) 2.0 NP 5 Massaro Park (LWCF) 2.5 NP 7 Travis Hill Park (LWCF) 16.5 NP 9 Old Tarrytown Road Park 0.55 PKLT 10 Washington Avenue Park 2.4 NP 11 Yosemite Park 12.0 NP 12 Sky Meadow Park 2.2 UD East Rumbrook Park Annex (F.K.A. the Elmsford Animal 13 0.31 UD Shelter) + 15 Taxter Ridge Park Preserve*** 190.0 CP 17 Taxter Road Park 0.78 NP 18 East Irvington Nature Preserve 31.7 CP 19 West Rumbrook Park 43.9 CP 20 Parkview Road Park 2.5 UD 21 East Rumbrook Park (LWCF) 47.8 CP 22 Stonewall Circle 1.8 UD 23 Knollwood Rd Park 1.0 NP 24 Riley Pond 3.6 NP 25 Richard Presser Park (Webb Field) 7.0 CP 26 Homewood Court 0.33 PKLT 28 Secor Woods Park 18.7 CP 29 Secor Road Park 13.7 UD 30 Anthony F. Veteran Park 20.4 CP 31 Harts Brook Park and Preserve**** (LWCF) 123.2 CP 32 Bob Gold Parklet 0.14 PKLT 33 De Santi Plaza 0.34 PKLT 34 Unnamed Pocket Park Adjacent to Hartsdale Train Station + 0.01 PKLT 36 Greenburgh Nature Center (LWCF) 31.1 CP 37 Parcel Q + 2.1 UD 38 Crane Pond 0.98 NP 41 Gelsprain (Farm Lane) Parcel + 2.0 PKLT 42 Parcel O (borders Boulder Ridge) + 3.0 UD 45 Donald Park 3.4 UD Total 632.5 * Key - PKLT = Parklet, NP = Neighborhood Park, CP = Community Park, UD = Undeveloped **1/3 or approximately 18.3 acres are leased by the Town from the Open Space Institute, Westchester County has part ownership with the Town, maintenance done by Town *** 1/3 owned by NY State, 1/3 owned by Westchester County, 1/3 owned by Town, maintenance done by Town **** 1/2 owned by NY State, 1/4 owned by Westchester County, 1/4 owned by Town, maintenance done by Town LWCF = Received Federal funding through the Land and Water Conservation Fund + Not currently a Town Park 7-2 9-28-16 Unincorporated Greenburgh Comprehensive Plan 7-3 9-28-16 7-3 Chapter 7.0 Parks, Trails, Open Space and Recreation Facilities Table 7.2: Special Park Districts in unincorporated Greenburgh * Area Map Key Name Characteristic (acres) Buffer- Open 35 Greenridge Park District (Old Colony Road/Club Way Parcel) 0.60 Space 39 Cotswold Park District (O'Gorman Park ) 0.75 Parklet Buffer- Open 40 Cotswold Park District (Central Park Avenue Parcels) 5.3 Space Total 6.6 * This table only lists acreage for the park-like or buffer/open space parcels within the larger Special Park Districts, which include each residence in the Special Park District. these land areas and are assessed annually by the Town for the cost of maintenance. O’Gorman Park functions as a parklet and is used by residents of the Cotswold Park District. The special park districts listed in Table 7.2 cannot be added to the Town of Greenburgh Parks inventory because of their private ownership and use by residents of the respective districts. 7.2.3 Miscellaneous Parcels Table 7.3 lists two town-owned vacant and currently undeveloped parcels that are not part of the Park inventory. The Taxter Road Parcel (former Unification Church parcel) is adjacent to the East Irvington Nature Preserve and was acquired in connection with a subdivision. The retention of Town-owned vacant land can be a valuable asset in the process of land transfers with other public agencies. As an example, land needed elsewhere in the Town for road widening or other public uses can be obtained through land transfers of Town-owned vacant land. The advantage of utilizing Town-owned vacant land is that there is no need to abandon/alienate existing Town parkland in the process of a land transfer. The Taxter Ridge Parcel is bordered on three sides by the Taxter Ridge Park Preserve and was offered to the Town in connection with the adjacent “Greystone Subdivision.” The complexities of the subdivision and a unique law commonly referred to as the Finneran Law (further discussed in Section 7.8), which is associated with park user rights, effectively precludes the Town’s acceptance of this property and subsequent dedication as a park, although the land will remain as open space in perpetuity. Table 7.3: Town of Greenburgh Miscellaneous (Not Part of Parks Inventory) Map Area Recommended Name Key (acres) Designation 8 Hillside-Wyndover Parcel (owned by civic association) 1.74 N/A 14 Taxter Road Parcel (former Unification Church parcel) 16.0 N/A 16 Taxter Ridge Parcel (Former Greystone parcel) 23.1 N/A 7-4 9-28-16 Unincorporated Greenburgh Comprehensive Plan 7.2.4 Selected Local Park Descriptions/Recreational Facilities Many of our parks contain recreational facilities and amenities such as pools, trails and sports fields. Unincorporated Greenburgh and each of the Town’s six villages have separate recreation services with the exception of special recreation programs for Town residents who have developmental disabilities. Special recreation programs are provided by the Town of Greenburgh Department of Parks and Recreation and are open to all developmentally disabled residents and their families in the Town, including its Villages, through an intermunicipal agreement. The Land and Water Conservation Fund is Hart’s Brook Park & Preserve, Glenville Woods Park Preserve and Taxter Ridge Park operated through the Preserve are open to residents outside of unincorporated Greenburgh as a result of National Park Service partial funding, and therefore partial ownership of these parks by Westchester County, Department of the and/or New York State and/or the federal government. Parks that have received this Interior. funding are open to residents outside of unincorporated Greenburgh. In addition to the parks and facilities descriptions below, Table 7.4 lists each unincorporated Greenburgh Park and its associated features and amenities. Anthony F. Veteran Park (AFVP) (#30 on Figure 7.1) is a 20.4-acre park and is home to the Department of Parks and Recreation administrative offices and maintenance facilities. The park has 13 tennis courts, six swimming pools (a main pool, one adult/competitive pool, one interactive pool and three day camp pools), play areas and equipment for young children, benches, basketball courts, handball/paddleball courts, public meeting rooms, restrooms, lighted facilities, a food concession, an outdoor concert area and a multipurpose center/patio. The multi-purpose community center, located in the park, has year round recreation and exercise programs targeting individuals, families and seniors.