Orchard Park, N.Y. (WBEN) - If you are heading out to Chestnut Ridge Park or a number of the other parks across Erie County, you may notice a number of new projects that have either been completed, ongoing, or still in the works to improve the quality of parks over the last decade.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz joined Parks Commissioner Troy Schinzel and other representatives of the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department on Thursday to update the community on the recent completion of various capital projects, as well as updates on ongoing upgrades and other special renovations that are planned throughout parks in the county.
"One of the things that we have that is a tremendous asset for our community is our Erie County Park System. It has been our pleasure to continue to invest in capital projects throughout the park system for these last 10 years to ensure that these parks, which were created by our ancestors, our predecessors for everyone to enjoy decades ago and onward, are continued for decades in the future, regardless of whether we're here or not," said Poloncarz during a press conference at Chestnut Ridge Park. "For the last 12 years, we've had nearly $29 million in projects invested in all of our Erie County Parks. I think it's a testament to the hard work of our park staff and the teams that we have, that we collaborate with that we've been able to do this during this time to ensure that these parks are the best that they possibly can be."
In Erie County, a total of $28,991,022 has been invested in completed projects from 2012 through 2022, including $7.9 million in projects at Chestnut Ridge Park, $2.6 million at Akron Falls, $1.8 million at Como Lake, $1 million at Ellicott Creek, $2.8 million at Emery Park, and more for other parks in the county.
In the latest tally of Erie County Parks Capital Projects that have either been completed, started or planned since 2012, a total of $48,494,852 has been committed to improving facilities used for recreation activities to provide local residents and visitors to the region with opportunities to enjoy the resources available within the park system on a year-round basis.
"This almost $49 million has done so much in renovating our park system," said Commissioner Schinzel on Thursday.
When looking at the grounds in and around Chestnut Ridge Park, there have already been a number of projects that are completed, including a new inclusive playground, the "Playground for All", which kids of all abilities can enjoy. In addition, the parking lot outside the casino was completely repaved, and has recently been upgraded to be ADA compliant.
"We just completely renovated, actually gutted and rebuilt the bathrooms inside, including creating a family bathroom for the first time ever, which can be used for all ages, including adults," Poloncarz added. "Often we have adults that come here from adult daycare programs that may need a little extra help from some of their aides, and if they're here, we want to be able to provide them the facility. Just in this little area alone, you see some major projects that were done in the last two years. We previously re-did the tennis courts, we re-lit the tennis courts - first time they've been lit in years. And then, of course, there's all of the other work that's gone on in this park - shelters, restroom facilities. All the restroom facilities have been rebuilt or in finishing the rebuilding of all the restroom facilities. That's just an example of one park, $7,928,196."
Among the other capital projects that were completed this year include:
- Wendt Beach Park roadway and parking lot improvements ($1.6 million)
- Ellicott Creek Park island comfort station renovation ($260,000)
Approximately $20.9 million in capital projects are currently defined as "works in progress" or in the planning stages of development. What's in the works with some of that money total?
"Most you may know, we have about $5.8 million dedicated to Wendt Beach, the mansion and the stable renovation to the Wendt Estate. An exciting project, we're in some design [concepts] right now with our consultant, but in the next few years, that project is going to be a great, great lift to that park," Schinzel said. "We also have about a million dollars tied up in the Schenck House at Grover Cleveland, a historic house here in Erie County. We're going to renovate that building and turn it into a historic park system, museum-type facility, so we're working towards that as well. And then we have over $2 million dedicated in shelter rehabs, major WPA shelter rehabs. An exciting project, we're about 50% design schematics on those projects. Hopefully by the spring of next year, we can break ground on renovating four major shelters in two of our park areas - Emery and Ellicott Creek - and rehab those shelters, including improving accessibility and parking to those facilities as well."
Meanwhile, more inclusive playgrounds will be installed across all of the major parks in the county. In addition, investments will be made towards restoring the ski hill at Chestnut Ridge, a new magic carpet at Emery Park, and other investments at Sprague Brook Park and pocket parks.
"It's the greatest dollar investment, as a percentage of our budget, that Erie County has ever done in the parks since they were first created during the Franklin Roosevelt administration when these parks were built as part of the Works Progress Administration," Poloncarz said. "Some of the parks were here, but a lot of what you see today was invested during those years, during the 1930s, and we're very proud that we were able to increase the investment and put a substantial amount of money in these parks."
More from Thursday's announcement is available in the player below:
