Ash Announces Access Plans For McNitt State Park

ALBANY, NY (10/25/2007)(readMedia)-- Commissioner Carol Ash announced today that the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has finalized plans for Helen L. McNitt State Park, providing parking and access to Cazenovia Lake and its shoreline for passive recreational activities.

“State Parks has prepared a project plan that meets the expectation of park visitors and addresses environmental constraints and concerns of neighbors on Cazenovia Lake,” said Commissioner Ash. “When the project is complete, visitors will be able to enjoy fishing, hiking, bird watching, wildlife viewing, snow shoeing, cross country skiing, and car top boating such as canoeing and kayaking at this beautiful site.”

Ash noted that an environmental assessment and project description were prepared in accordance with the State Environmental Quality Review Act. She added that project will begin in November with the construction of a parking lot. The expectation is that the park will be open to visitors in time for winter activities, at which point the park will be open dawn to dusk.

In addition to the parking lot, the project includes a handicapped accessible trail that will lead from the parking area to a wooden walkway, which will lead to a wooden platform built at the water’s edge. A short loop trail will be created on an upland portion of the park. Construction of the wooden walkway, platform and trail work will be completed in the spring of 2008. In addition, noted Ash, boat access will be available, and limited to car top watercraft.

“State Parks looks forward to opening this park to the public and being responsible stewards of this wonderful land on Cazenovia Lake,” Ash concluded.

Helen L. McNitt State Park was established in 1999 as a gift of 133 acres of land, including about 1300 feet of shoreline. The original land gifting agreement transferring the property to State Parks stated that, as resources permit, the gifted land would be available for public use for recreational activities.

Editor’s Note: The Project Description and Environmental Assessment report is available at www.nysparks.com.

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