Westchester Park To Reopen Wednesday After Bird Flu Decontamination

TOWN OF MOUNT PLEASANT, NY — Officials announced that Carroll Park in Thornwood will reopen on Wednesday after a thorough cleaning in response to an avian flu outbreak that killed 12 birds in early February.

The Feb. 2 discovery of dead Canada geese at the park on Rolling Hills Road prompted the Town to quickly close the park. Subsequent tests confirmed the presence of avian flu in the dead animals.

The town says that municipal employees meticulously decontaminated all surfaces within the park that are frequently touched by visitors. They used a hypochlorous acid-based disinfectant spray, which has been proven to effectively eliminate viruses, including the Covid-19 virus.

The reopening of the park comes after the town fully complied with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation protocols. DEC officials also confirmed that warmer weather conditions that are on the way will naturally help inactivate the avian flu virus.

"The health and safety of our residents is our absolute top priority," Mount Pleasant Supervisor Carl Fulgenzi said. "Our municipal employees went beyond the required measures to ensure Carroll Park was safe for public use. We understand the concern this outbreak caused, and we wanted to take every step to provide peace of mind to our community."

Anyone who finds a dead goose in a Mount Pleasant-owned property is asked to contact the police department at 914-769-1941. Police will arrange to have a wildlife professional remove it. Dead birds found on private property in the town should be reported to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation via the NYSDEC Avian Influenza Reporting Form.

Officials recommended resources to help lessen risks associated with the growing outbreak.

• Westchester County’s Department of Health webpage, Avian Influenza
• Department of Environmental Conservation’s webpage, Avian Influenza - Winter 2025
• DEC Press Release

An outbreak of avian influenza began in the U.S. in early 2024 and has mostly affected wild birds, farmed birds, and dairy cows. Contact with an infected bird puts people at risk of exposure. Those at the highest risk are workers on dairy/poultry farms and in culling operations.

SEE ALSO:

• Bird Flu At Westchester Animal Facility: 60 Animals Died, Euthanized
• Bird Flu Confirmed In Canada Geese Found Dead In Westchester Park
• Westchester Town Orders Park Closed After 12 Dead Canada Geese Found
• Hochul Orders Westchester Live Bird Markets Closed Over Outbreak
• Bird Flu Kills Almost All Chickens, Ducks On A Hudson Valley Farm
• Bird Flu Found In Wild Canada Goose In Rockland County Lake
• New York AG James Urges Consumers To Report Egg Price Gouging
• Wild Goose Positive For Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Locally
• Risk Of Avian Flu Remains Low, But Health Officials Urge Precautions
• Community Flocks To Help LI Duck Farm Devastated By Avian Bird Flu