OSWEGO COUNTY – Plants and animals on thousands of acres of public lands are coming out of winter hibernation, and residents and visitors are celebrating the return of spring at their favorite parks.
People in Oswego County can help with cleanup events at four sites Saturday, May 4, during the eighth annual I Love My Park Day event.
Sponsored by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and Parks & Trails New York, I Love My Park Day is a statewide project to enhance parks, historic sites and public lands and raise awareness of outdoor recreation opportunities across New York State.
I Love My Park Day events are being held at Fort Ontario State Historic Site and Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum, Oswego; Selkirk Shores State Park, Pulaski; and Winona Forest on the edge of the Tug Hill in northern Oswego and southern Jefferson counties.
“This is an opportunity for all of us to step in and give back for all the great trails, events and recreation that we are able to enjoy all year long,” said Matt Westerlund, president of Winona Forest Recreation Association.
Kelly Morrissette, park manager at Selkirk Shores State Park, said volunteers who participate in I Love My Park Day make a big difference.
“Our volunteers have allowed us to accomplish so much over the past few years,” said Morrissette. “The improvements to our trails, and just the beautification of cleaning up our park, would be very difficult for our staff to accomplish before opening day. It is greatly appreciated. The park employees enjoy I Love My Park Day, being able to work alongside volunteers who love this park as much as we do. An event such as this helps to remind us all that our parks are important and that we can all be responsible stewards of these valuable lands.”
“I Love My Park Day is a fun way to help make a difference at some of the special places that we love to visit in Oswego County,” said Janet Clerkin, Oswego County Tourism and Public Information Coordinator. “There are many rewarding ways to get involved and help with cleanup projects that preserve important historic and natural landscapes.”
Volunteers are asked to register in advance.
Registration for all sites can be completed by visiting https://www.ptny.org/events/i-love-my-park-day.
Details for the events are:
– Fort Ontario State Historic Site, 1 E. Fourth St., and Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum, 2 E. Seventh St., Oswego. 9 a.m. to noon. Meet inside the Old Fort. Park in the main parking lot by the three flag poles. All ages welcome. Volunteers will be directed to the fort or Safe Haven and will be involved in painting, raking, some gardening, window cleaning, and moving furnishings. Please bring garden gloves, rakes and shovels. Small groups, college student groups, Boy or Girl Scouts are welcome to participate. For more information call 315-343-4711 or e-mail [email protected]
– Selkirk Shores State Park, 7101 State Route 3, Pulaski. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Meet at enclosed shelter. Park in bluff parking lot or beach parking lot. All ages welcome. Volunteers will be involved in different projects throughout the park including litter/debris pickup, cleaning up playground areas, cleaning up hiking trails, campsite cleanup, weeding and planting flowers. Please dress for the weather. Large groups, small groups, college student groups, Boy or Girl Scouts are welcome to participate. For more information call 315-298-5737 or email [email protected].
–Winona State Forest, County Route 90, Mannsville. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meet at Civilian Conservation Corps parking lot, Route 90.(43.712803°N, 75.970619°W). All ages welcome. Volunteers will be involved in trail work and maintenance. Please bring garden gloves, loppers, water, snack. Large groups, small groups, college student groups, Boy or Girl Scouts are welcome to participate. For more information, call 315-376-3521 or e-mail [email protected]. Driving directions: To reach the CCC Camp from Interstate 81, take Mannsville exit 39, then take county route 90 east through Mannsville. About 2.75 miles out of Mannsville, county route 90 meets Dixon Road and turns to the right. This route bears left at the intersection with Wart Road and then right at Brown Road. The historical CCC camp is another mile down the road. The CCC parking is for access from the north at the junction of Bargy Road and county route 90. https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/8072.html.
For more information on I Love My Park Day, visit https://www.ptny.org/events/i-love-my-park-day.
For Oswego County’s outdoor recreation, historic sites and visitor information, go to http://visitoswegocounty.com/.
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