New York State Parks Announces Holiday Weekend Attendance

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ALBANY, NY (07/07/2010)(readMedia)-- The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation today announced Fourth of July holiday weekend attendance numbers. Consistent with the strong showing in the early part of the summer season, attendance over the three-day holiday weekend increased by six percent over last year.

All totaled, nearly 1.9 million people spent a portion of their holiday weekend at a state park or historic site.

"As temperatures soared, so did park visitation," said Commissioner Carol Ash. "We are thrilled that people are escaping to our fabulous parks. From swimming in one of our pools, lakes or ocean beaches to finding relief in a shady campground, our parks provide a welcome relief to the heat and a respite from life's stresses."

Ash continued to encourage New Yorkers to support parks and historic sites by joining Friends Groups, volunteering at parks or making financial donations to the park through the agency website (nysparks.com).

"I urge park supporters to visit our parks and sites, get involved and volunteer their time. Our state park system is the best in the nation and it is gratifying that people throughout the state are getting out there and appreciating our wonderful beaches, trails and campgrounds," she reiterated.

Last year, the state park system recorded nearly 56 million visits. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees 178 state parks and 35 historic sites. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456, visit www.nysparks.com, find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

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