Press Release
April 23, 2012
Dan Keefe
518-486-1868
Moreau Lake State Park Celebrates Earth Day: State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey opens newly expanded Nature Center and welcomes New York Works park improvements
(April 23, 2012, Moreau, NY...) Moreau Lake State Park held an Earth Day Celebration today in honor of the grand opening of the newly expanded Nature Center. New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) Commissioner Rose Harvey cut a ribbon to open the new classroom space and announced coming improvements to this popular southern Adirondack park which typically attracts over 400,000 annual visitors.
The 810-square-foot addition to the Nature Center can accommodate up to one hundred people, as well as housing the center's extensive taxidermy collection of animals native to the park. The Nature Center typically welcomes dozens of school field trips each year, and this new addition was designed to handle school groups more efficiently. Fourth-graders from South Glens Falls Elementary School were on a field trip for the event, touring the new facility and getting a lesson from park educators.
As part of the New York Works program, Moreau Lake State Park will also be receiving over $1.25 million in infrastructure improvements. The last remaining 1960's-era restroom in the campground will be demolished and replaced with a new modern, sustainable, and accessible facility. The facility is scheduled to be replaced following the close of the camping season in the fall. The parking area for the busy beach, picnic areas and trail heads will also be reconfigured and resurfaced, including improvements to ground water runoff and more efficient parking areas. Work is expected to begin this construction season.
"This Earth Day is a great time for parks and outdoor recreation in New York State. The significant capital funding the Governor and Legislature provided through the New York Works program will make great progress toward revitalizing our park system," said Harvey. "People need parks, and extraordinary places like Moreau are great assets to the community. Our visitors will truly appreciate the progress being made here."Moreau Lake State Park has been the beneficiary of numerous other improvements made possible with funding from Saratoga County in mitigation for a water facility on the Hudson River in the Park. Other projects highlighted at the event included the completion of the new Winter Warming Hut, removal of an invasive species along the lake front, scientific research projects on rare reptile habitat, and new way-finding and interpretive signage.
"The community will be delighted to make use of the new wing of the Nature Center, which showcases State Parks' commitment to environmental education," said Heather Mabee, Chair of the Saratoga-Capital Park Commission. "Our kids need the benefits of getting outside and to have the secrets of natures rhythms shared by experienced and passionate outdoor educators."
Complementing the new Nature Center and Warming Hut, recent capital improvements by the agency include updated pavilion/restroom complexes at the day use area and the campground, and a new rental cabin by the water. An unused former pump house was converted into a rental cabin and the public is apparently anxious to try it out - the cabin is booked for the coming season.
Moreau Lake State Park attracts about 400,000 visitors a year. 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, connecting on Facebook, or following us on Twitter.