Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site in the Mohawk Valley and the Old Erie Canal State Park in Central New York are on the list of state parks and historic sites slated for closure released by the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) last Friday. Of the 41 parks and 14 historic sites to close, 11 are located within the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.
 
According to the Governor's press release, OPRHP put forward the list of closures and service reductions in order to achieve its proposed 2010-11 agency savings target and help address the State's historic $8.2 billion deficit.
 
OPRHP's plan also assumes $4 million in park and historic site fee increases that will be identified at a later date, and the use of $5 million in funds from the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) to finance OPRHP operations. These two actions were part of the 21-day amendments to the Executive Budget and are intended to reduce the number of parks and historic sites subject to closures and service reductions.
 
Sites targeted for closure within the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor include:

 

Saratoga-Capital Region
Schoharie Crossing Historic Site, Schoharie County

Schuyler Mansion Historic Site, Albany Co.

 
Central New York Region
Chittenango Falls State Park, Madison

Clark Reservation State Park, Onondaga
Fort Ontario State Historic Site, Oswego
Herkimer Home Historic Site, Herkimer

Old Erie Canal State Park, Onondaga
Oriskany Battlefield/Steuben SHS, Oneida
 
Finger Lakes Region
Bonavista State Park, Seneca
Buttermilk Falls State Park, Tompkins, Close Public Swimming Area
Seneca Lake State Park, Seneca, Close Lake Swimming Beach

For a complete list of parks and historic sites to close and more detailed information, go to:

Governor's press release >>