Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

July 09, 2015

Randy Simons | Dan Keefe
(518) 486-1868 | news@parks.ny.gov

State Parks Announces $100,000 for Irondequoit Bay State Marine Park Facility Capital Improvements

Project to Expand Outdoor Recreation Opportunities at the Park

As part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's Capital for a Day, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) announced it will provide $100,000 to the Town of Irondequoit to add public amenities to the Irondequoit Bay State Marine Park, which is located on both town and State land. The town of Irondequoit will provide matching funding for the project.

State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey said, "Irondequoit Bay State Marine Park is a wonderful destination for family boating and fishing adventures on Lake Ontario. New and improved facilities will offer new ways to enjoy the waterfront for residents and tourists alike, and improve their experience immensely. I'm grateful for the partnership of Governor Cuomo and local community leaders to improve this exceptional resource."

A planning and design process will determine which amenities are best suited for the project including potentially a boardwalk, picnic pavilions, playground and a kayak rental location.

These improvements will help support a robust segment of the state's tourism economy. A New York Sea Grant study found that recreational boating in New York State had an annual economic impact of $1.8 billion and accounted for 18,700 jobs. According to a 2011 report by the American Sportfishing Association, New York ranks second only to Florida in angler expenditures. Sportfishing has a total impact of $4.475 billion and supports 32,000 jobs in New York State.

Under Governor Cuomo's leadership, New York State is making a historic commitment to improving and expanding access to outdoor recreation. The Governor's NY Parks 2020 program is a multi-year commitment to leverage $900 million in private and public funding for State Parks from 2011 to 2020. The Governor's 2015-16 Executive Budget allocates $110 million toward this initiative.

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