Shawangunk (NY) Land Purchased for Town Park and Trails

Shawangunk, NY: The Town of Shawangunk, in partnership with the Trust for Public Land, announced today the purchase of 83.6 acres of land for use as a town park and a trail network. The property, owned by the Youngs family, is located along Route 52 in the Walker Valley section of the town.

The Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national non-profit land conservation organization, negotiated an option to purchase the property in 1999, and later transferred that option to the town. The town had asked for assistance from the Trust for Public Land to alleviate an exploding demand for recreational fields in the rural but growing community.

“This has been a goal of the Town for many years, since it will help greatly to relieve a critical shortage of active recreational facilities in our town,” said Town Supervisor John Valk. “This issue has been important to our residents, and I’m pleased that the Town Board and I, with the partnership of the state and the Trust for Public Land, have been able to respond to the need and reach our goal.”

The town plans to develop ball fields on the open, flat section of the property. A network of trails for hiking, cross-country skiing and horseback riding will be established in the wooded section. Funds for the $157,500 purchase were provided through a combination of a town budget allocation and a grant from the New York State Environmental Protection Fund. The state grant will be used to purchase and develop the property for park use.

“We are pleased to have partnered with the town to help create additional active and passive recreational facilities for the community,” said Clark Wallace, TPL Project Manager.

The Trust for Public Land, founded in 1972, specializes in conservation real estate, applying its expertise in negotiation, public finance, and law to protect land for public use and enjoyment. To date, TPL has helped protect more than one million acres nationwide, valued at more than $1.8 billion. TPL has helped protect more than 55,000 acres in New York State since 1981. More information about TPL is available on its web site at www.tpl.org.