Parks Advocates Will Ask Albany To Rehab Shuttered Lake Sebago

HARRIMAN STATE PARK — They were there to celebrate the award of $150,000 to the Palisades Park Conservancy, but they got an eyeful and an earful from Parks & Trails New York officials about the deteriorating conditions at shuttered Lake Sebago.

The "big check" press conference attendees included leading statewide partners and legislators, and P&TNY used it to highlight the opportunities and the need to update critical parks infrastructure to better serve the public in advance of NYS Parks’ Centennial year in 2024.

After that, participants had a chance to tour the once widely-used Lake Sebago facilities with Joshua Laird, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission's executive director.

It was an appropriate venue, because Parks & Trails New York is calling on Albany in the upcoming budget season to fund restoration of the beach facilities there.

Sebago, the largest lake in Harriman State Park and whose name is Algonquian for "big water," according to Wikipedia, was closed in 2011 after sustaining significant damage during Hurricane Irene.

The two remaining swimming locations in Harriman State Park, Lake Tiorati and Lake Welch, are so popular they are routinely closed to additional visitors by midday on summer weekends — and that's if Lake Welch isn't closed entirely due to hazardous algae blooms.

A revitalization of the infrastructure and reconstruction of the beach would allow Lake Sebago to reopen for swimming.

It's one of the state parks facilities — including Riverbank, Jones Beach and High Falls — crumbling under record visitation and climate change, said Paul Steely White, Executive Director of Parks & Trails New York.

Will Coté, P&TNY's Senior Director of Public Lands, provided details in a Q&A.

Patch: Could you comment about the budget season call in light of this past summer season at the
parks?

Coté: Our state parks system continues to see record visitation and ensuring there are as many accessible, welcoming outdoor recreation facilities to accommodate New Yorkers and out-of-state visitors alike, is paramount. 2024 marks the Centennial Celebration of the parks system so it provides a wonderful opportunity for advocates to look to the future and help forge a vision of what access to nature and our parks should be for future generations. Our call for capital investment in these flagship or shuttered facilities is rooted in this vision. If not now, when?

Patch: How many visitors, compared to past years including pre-pandemic?

Coté: In 2022, there were nearly 80 million visitors to our park system. This is a 40% increase over the last decade, each year setting a new record, with 2023 on track to continue the trend. This was happening well before the pandemic but what COVID did was accelerate this movement and highlight the desire New Yorkers have for outdoor recreation and access to the outdoors. Ultimately it affirmed what data suggested and advocates already knew, this is not only a growing industry and economic driver but integral to the livability of our communities.

Patch: How many days were people turned away because that part of the parks was full?

Coté: Lake Sebago has been closed since 2011 when Hurricanes Irene and Lee decimated the site. Prior to that, on peak summer days, there were as many as 10-12,000 visitors a day. After the closure, those visitors moved to other facilities in Harriman, Bear Mountain and beyond. Facilities in this region have been experiencing additional strain for more than a decade and park visitation numbers indicate it will continue to be a problem without an intervention through capital investment.

Patch: What kind of budgetary commitment are you hoping for?

Coté: We are urging our state’s leaders to establish a baseline of $250 million annually in the capital budget for State Parks, with an additional one-time Centennial investment of $500 million over the next three years to advance long-standing challenges and advance the park system for the next 100 years.

Patch: What would it take to actually make these facilities not only lovely again but also able to handle the much larger crowds that I think they've been getting?

Coté: Facilities that have recently opened or are in the planning process are being designed to accommodate more visitation in the future. There is also a focus on ensuring they are appropriate for their setting and with environmental sustainability as a core consideration.

For example, once funded and constructed, Lake Sebago’s recreational facility will be designed to integrate into the landscape, using natural features and local geology to help guard it against future storms and overuse. Beyond these design elements, we can look to local communities to take an active role in maintaining, stewarding and beautifying facilities, parks and public lands. Grassroots, nonprofit organizations-such as Friends groups-can have a big impact on protecting and building upon larger capital investments from the state.

Patch: how about more facilities?

Coté: The state park and historic site system already contains more than 180 destinations. While adding facilities to accommodate growing visitation is a part of the vision for the next 100 years of our iconic state park system, we need to be mindful of the impact it has on our previous natural environment, ecosystems and local communities. I would suggest it is incredibly valuable to reinvest in the facilities that already exist, ensuring they are welcoming and accessible for all New Yorkers. There is most certainly additional capacity and opportunity our system has to offer future generations.

Parks & Trails New York is New York’s leading statewide advocate for parks, trails, and public lands, dedicated since 1985 to improving health, economy, and quality of life through the use and enjoyment of green space. With thousands of members and supporters across the state, PTNY is a leading voice in the protection of New York’s magnificent state park system and the creation and promotion of more than 1,500 miles of greenways, bike paths, river walks, and trails. Visit PTNY.org to learn more.