Endangered Long Island Parks

In a shocking and upsetting move to try and save the state of New York from its financial difficulties, Governer David A. Paterson and Commissioner Carol Ash have proposed dramatic short-term measures to improve the pockets of the state. In addition to reductions to the state's budgets for schools, hospitals, nursing homes and social services, parks and historic sites are now coming under fire, with closures of 41 parks and 14 historical sites throughout New York, service reductions at 23 parks and 1 historic site, and a $4 million park and historic site fee increase on our already high rates -- especially when one considers that in cities like New Orleans, there is no such thing as admission fees to public parks.

The statement from the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Commissioner Carol Ash reads:

"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 protest was staged over the past weekend at Heckscher State Park in East Islip on the South Shore where Suffolk County Legislator Wayne Horseley led the rally of over 700 people, and the Long Island Pine Barrens Society staged a protest in Nassau at Hofstra University, the site of Paterson's campaign kickoff.

This move is already proving extremely unpopular, since Long Island's beaches and parks have been visitor draws for generations, pulling in as many as 20 million people annually ... and many of the sites that are being threatened are not even fully developed and are new to the roster. Therefore, reasons Long Islanders, how much time and money could it really save to permanently shut down public access to wild land that isn't necessarily "maintained?"

The six parks that are facing permanent closure are as follows:

• Brookhaven State Park
• Caleb Smith State Park Preserve
  
• Cold Spring Harbor State Park
• Nissequogue River State Park
  
• Orient Beach State Park
• Trail View State Park

At Bethpage State Park, the OPRHP plans to eliminate all winter sports, reduce the picnic area and polo field; Heckscher State Park is in danger of losing its swimming pool, as is the iconic Jones Beach State Park (home of Long Island's favorite outdoor venue, Jones Beach Theater), in addition to the Jones Beach Fourth of July fireworks show. The Montauk Downs State Park's pool is also in danger of being closed permanently. Connetquot River State Park goers may lose weekday access to this beloved attraction, and won't be the only one.