Village wins another big grant for more park improvements

by Dan McClelland

Friday the village leaders were notified the village has won $533,500 from the New York State Department of State to continue trail and other improvements to the municipal park.

It’s the latest piece of the village’s ongoing and very successful waterfront revitalization program through the state department that has produced major developments there like the continuation of the shoreline trail, a new entrance way to Flanders Park, the “Sunset Stage” bandshell and the Little Logger Playground. It’s another grant for the village written and won by Community Development Director Melissa McManus.

The grant money will be used to build two new hard-surfaced handicapped trails from the edge of the park on Martin and Mill streets or from the grandstand parking areas to the shoreline walkway and to a new fishing pier that will be built out from it, Mayor Paul Maroun announced this week.

“It will be so everyone will be able to get to this new fishing pier-” regardless of their mobility, he said. “It’ll help handicapped people easily get to our shoreline areas each summer...and a great enhancement for our park!”

The village was passed over in last year’s Waterfront Revitalization Program grant round. Over the years, however, the village has won hundreds of thousands of dollars through it.

Last year’s application scored light in some areas and Mayor Maroun said in the review of it, several areas were strengthened, making for a better application.

Grant monies will also be used to have construction plans designed for a new “club house” or locker room complex so both the Riverpigs and their opponents will have their own changing rooms, with showers, bathrooms, etc., he noted.

The building would also have room where referees and umpires can use for games here.

Mayor Maroun envisions the new building in the park each winter as a warming and restroom area for snowmobiles to use, as well as for ice fishermen wetting their lines on Raquette Pond.

This grant will not include the development of a beach at the park.

The new fishing pier is eyed for a piece of the shoreline, just right of the bottom of Cliff Ave., where a new boat launching site and dock are planned.