Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

January 07, 2011

Eileen Larrabee
Dan Keefe
518-486-1868

Public Invited to Help Shape Future of Grafton Lakes State Park

State Parks Initiates Master Plan process for park

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation invites the public to participate in developing a comprehensive master plan for Grafton Lakes State Park. A preliminary meeting to help define a long-term vision for the park will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 27, 2011 in the auditorium of Tamarac High School in Brunswick, New York.

"In an era of limited resources, it's imperative that we take proactive steps to maintain the high quality of Grafton Lakes State Park," said Alane Ball-Chinian, State Parks Saratoga-Capital Regional Director. "An up-to-date master plan will help determine the best recreational uses for the park, make the most of available resources, offer quality programs and protect the environment. We look forward to hearing from the general public, local government officials, friends groups, user groups and other interested parties to help us achieve these goals."

At the January 27 meeting, State Parks staff will provide a brief overview of the planning effort and an introduction to all of the resources and uses of the park. The public is invited to provide suggestions on issues, impacts and considerations that should be addressed in the creation of a draft master plan and draft environmental impact statement. An information packet is available at: http://www.nysparks.com/inside-our-agency/master-plans.aspx.

People unable to attend the meeting may provide written comments by February 25, 2011 to:

Salim Adler, OPRHP
Agency Building 1, 17th Floor
Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12238
Grafton.Plan@oprhp.state.ny.us

Established in 1968, Grafton Lakes is visited by 200,000 people a year. The 2,500-acre park features a large, sandy swimming beach, picnic areas, car-top boat launch, fishing on five ponds and over 25 miles of trails. 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 or visit www.nysparks.com.

###