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Albany,
NY – February 2024 / NewsmakerAlert: Governor Kathy Hochul announces
a comprehensive
$9 million upgrade to the campgrounds and facilities at Selkirk
Shores State Park in Oswego County will begin in September 2024. The
project is part of an ongoing reinvestment in New York’s State Park system
as it celebrates its 100th anniversary.
“With
its excellent camping, fishing, swimming, boating, and trails, Selkirk
Shores represents the best of outdoor recreation in New York State,” Governor
Hochul said. “This investment in the park will benefit the local economy
by attracting new visitors to experience all the park has to offer, as
well as ensuring its position as a treasured summertime tradition for its
regular visitors.”
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The
park office will be replaced and the entrance and exit pattern redesigned
for improved traffic flow and easier check-in and check-out. The two existing
camping restrooms will be replaced with larger, more accessible facilities
located more centrally on the loops. The new facilities will include accessible
showers, baby changing stations, and dishwashing stations. In keeping with
State Parks’ mission to reduce the environmental impact of its operations,
the new buildings will be substantially more energy efficient than those
they are replacing.
Enhancements
to the campground at Selkirk Shores will be at the core of the project,
including installing crushed stone or pavement at each of the 130 campsites,
improving storm water drainage, adding more water hydrants to the campground
loops, and installing new security features. The park’s 24 cabins will
receive accessibility upgrades and improvements to their electrical wiring,
masonry and roofs.
Office
of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation Commissioner Erik Kulleseid
said, “Selkirk Shores State Park has been cherished by generations of New
Yorkers, and we take great pride in stewarding its legacy into the next
century of Parks. These renovations represent another significant stride
in our multiyear initiative to rejuvenate our parks, operate sustainably,
and most crucially, better serve our visitors. We look forward to celebrating
our centennial season with our Selkirk Shores campers and welcoming them
back to a rejuvenated park in 2026.”
Assemblymember
Will Barclay said, “I am thrilled to see the commitment from the state
to upgrade Selkirk Shores State Park. This investment will secure the park’s
future as an outdoor recreation destination for generations of New Yorkers.
This project illustrates the dedication to enhancing the quality of life
and opportunities for everyone seeking to enjoy some of the best parts
of Oswego County. I look forward to the completion of these additions and
sharing in the experience of the long-lasting positive impact this will
have on our local community.”
To
carry out these improvements efficiently without compromising the patron
experience, the campgrounds and cabins at Selkirk Shores will close after
Labor Day 2024 and remain closed for the 2025 camping season. Campers are
invited to vacation at nearby state parks such as Southwick Beach, Fair
Haven Beach, Westcott Beach, Whetstone Golf, Burnham Point, and Cedar Point
State Park. Selkirk Shores will remain open for day use throughout the
project.
Other
improvements include replacing the park sign and constructing a new playground.
Structures built during the Great Depression by the Civilian Conservation
Corps will be repaired and preserved. The two day-use restroom buildings
will be renovated and made more accessible, with deteriorated logs replaced
and the roof repaired. The large lakeside pavilion, used for picnics, weddings,
nature programs and events, will receive a total restoration and preservation
to original form and fabric. This involves replacement of sections of deteriorated
logs, staining the exterior, reglazing all doors and windows, and roof
shingle replacement with flashing and chimney repointing. Crews will also
improve the kitchen and install an ADA-compliant all-season restroom and
walkways. Much of the work will be done by the Parks’ skilled-trades crews.
Selkirk
Shores State Park is located in Pulaski, overlooking a bluff on Lake Ontario.
The park is known for its camping, fishing, Great Lakes swimming beach
and trail network. Its position near the Salmon River and on a major flyway
makes it popular with boaters and birders alike. More than 100,000 visitors
come to the park annually.
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New
York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP)
oversees more than 250 individual parks, historic sites, recreational trails
and boat launches, which were visited by a record 79.5 million people in
2022. A recent university study found that spending by State Parks and
its visitors supports $5 billion in output and sales, 54,000 private-sector
jobs and more than $2.8 billion in additional state GDP. For more information
on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit NYS
Parks website, connect with us on Facebook,
or follow on Instagram
and Twitter. The free New
York State Parks Explorer mobile app is available for iOS and Android devices.
To download, visit: Google
Play Store, NY State Parks Explorer App or Apple
Store, NY State Parks Explorer App.
Source
Document
Media
Contact:
Dan
Keefe
Public
Information Officer
518-486-1868
news@parks.ny.gov |
