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Governor
Cuomo Announces Record-Breaking
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71
Million Visit State Parks in 2017
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950,000 More
Visitors Than Previous Year,
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Estimated
Attendance Marks Seven Years of Steady Growth
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Albany,
NY – February 2018 / Newsmaker Alert / Governor
Andrew M. Cuomo announces New York’s system of state
parks, historic sites, campgrounds, and trails welcomed 71.5 million
estimated visitors in 2017. This milestone marks seven years of steady
visitor growth and represents an overall increase of 23 percent, or 13.6
million visitors since the Governor took office in 2011.
“State
Parks energize our local economies by inviting visitors from all over to
explore the history, beauty and great outdoors found in communities across
New York,” Governor Cuomo said. “We have modernized the oldest state park
system in the nation by making strategic investments that help entice more
and more visitors to this great state to make memories with family and
friends, while experiencing the natural beauty found in every New York
community.”
Despite
inclement weather over the traditionally busy summer months, New
York State Parks saw an increase from 70.6 million to 71.5 million
in 2017. Since the inception of the Governor’s NY Parks 2020 program, more
than 700 improvement projects have been completed or are underway. In 2017,
some of the Governor’s initiatives that supported the increase in state
park visitation included trail improvements, new and improved playgrounds,
thousands of acres of new parkland, the opening of Hallock State Park on
Long Island, the transformation at Buffalo Harbor State Park, and the introduction
of the new family sharing Empire Pass.
In
2018, visitors can expect even more improvements and additions at state
parks, including the completion of the $70 million transformation at Niagara
Falls State Park and the debut of the Watkins Glen State Park entrance
transformation in the Southern Tier. In addition, several park attractions
will open, including the Equal Rights Heritage Center in Auburn, Boardwalk
Café at Jones Beach State Park, new gateway at Walkway Over the
Hudson, the Grafton State Park Center, Environmental Education Center at
Green Lakes State Park, swim bathhouse at Fort Niagara State Park, reopening
of the Peerless Pool Complex at Saratoga Spa State Park, and the start
of a $35 million transformation at Hempstead Lake State Park on Long Island.
Rose
Harvey, Commissioner of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation,
said, “Governor Cuomo’s historic and visionary NY Parks 2020 initiative
is transforming our state parks, promoting healthy, active outdoor recreation,
connecting people with parks, rejuvenating our world class park system,
preserving our history, sustaining our natural environment and invigorating
communities across the state.”
Under
Governor Cuomo’s leadership, New York is making an historic commitment
to improving and expanding access to outdoor recreation. The Governor’s
NY Parks 2020 program is a multi-year commitment to leverage $900 million
in private and public funding for State Parks from 2011 to 2020. The FY
2019 Executive Budget includes $90 million toward this initiative. In addition,
the Governor proposed completing the Hudson River Valley Greenway and Erie
Canalway trails by 2020 to create the Empire State Trail, the largest state
multi-use trail in the nation. The state will develop 350 miles of new
trail in three phases to create a 750-mile pathway for hiking and biking
along scenic vistas and through historic communities.
Source
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Contact:
Press
Office
518-474-8418
Press.Office@exec.ny.gov |