State Plans to Close Fort Ontario Historic Site

by Contributor | February 19, 2010 12:57 pm

New York State would close Fort Ontario and 54 other state parks and historic sites to save money, under a plan released today.

The first Fort Ontario[1] was built in Oswego in 1755.

Paul Lear, site manager, said he had been notified by the state Parks Department about the plan, but said he could not comment on it.  He referred comments to spokespeople for the state in Albany.

Locally, the state’s plans would also shut down public swimming at Selkirk Shores State Park, would close Chimney Bluffs state park near Wolcott and would close Springbrook Greens state golf course in Fair Haven.  The closings are part of the department’s plans to save money as part of the 2010-11 state budget, which is supposed to be approved by April 1 but which is usually late.

“It seems perennially that parks are looked at as a luxury,” said David Turner, director of the Oswego County Department of Community Development Tourism and Planning.  “But when I see families enjoying those parks, I know that they’re not luxuries at all.  They’re treasures.”

He said the county was disappointed with the news and that county legislators will consider a resolution next week expressing their displeasure, as the work begins behind the scenes to lobby on behalf of the parks.

Turner said closing Fort Ontario and ending swimming at Selkirk Shores would hurt the county’s ability to attract tourists, who may come primarily for fishing or Harborfest, but who want to know there are other things to do when they come.

State Assemblyman Will Barclay (R-Pulaski) quickly condemned the proposal.  In a statement, he said, “The potential closure of Fort Ontario as part of a cost-saving measure for the state is unacceptable and just another example of Albany’s mismanagement of taxpayer money. Rather than make real budget cuts to close the widening gap in the deficit, Albany has instead decided to close an important part of Central New York’s history.” His full statement is posted below.

Gov. David Paterson said in a statement released with the list of cuts:

“The unfortunate reality of closing an $8.2 billion deficit is that there is less money available for many worthy services and programs. In an environment when we have to cut funding to schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and social services, no area of State spending, including parks and historic sites, could be exempt from reductions. We cannot mortgage our State’s financial future through further gimmicks or avoidance behavior. Spending cuts, however difficult, are needed in order to put New York on the road to fiscal recovery. Going forward through the budget process, I look forward to a productive dialogue with the Legislature on parks and historic sites, as well as other issues.”

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE STATE OFFICE OF PARKS, RECREATION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION:

The Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) today put forward a list of closures and service reductions in order to achieve its proposed 2010-11 agency savings target and help address the State’s historic fiscal difficulties. As part of a comprehensive plan to close an $8.2 billion deficit, the 2010-11 Executive Budget included necessary cost reductions to each executive State agency, as well as cuts to education, health care, social services, and every other area of State spending.

OPRHP’s plan includes the closure of 41 parks and 14 historic sites, and service reductions at 23 parks and 1 historic site.

The 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.

Specific recommended closures and service reductions are detailed below:

Long Island

Brookhaven State Park	Suffolk	Close Park
Bethpage State Park	Suffolk	Eliminate Winter Sports; Reduce picnic area and polo field
Caleb Smith State Park Preserve	Suffolk	Close Park
Cold Spring Harbor State Park	Suffolk	Close Park
Connetquot River State Park	Suffolk	Close Weekdays
Heckscher State Park	Suffolk	Close Swimming Pool
Jones Beach State Park	Nassau	Close West Swimming Pool; Eliminate July 4th fireworks
Montauk Downs State Park	Suffolk	Close Swimming Pool
Nissequogue River State Park	Suffolk	Close Park
Orient Beach State Park	Suffolk	Close Park
Trail View State Park	Suffolk	Close Park

New York City Region

Bayswater Point State Park	Queens	Close Park
Riverbank State Park	New York	Reduce Operating Hours; Close Outdoor Swimming Pool; Eliminate Seniors Classes; andCommunity/Cultural Events

Palisades Region

Fort Montgomery Historic Site	Orange	Close Historic Site
Harriman SP– Anthony Wayne	Orange	Close Park Area
Harriman SP – Group Camps	Orange	Reduce Maintenance
High Tor State Park	Rockland	Close Pool
Knox Headquarters Historic Site	Orange	Close Historic Site
New Windsor Cantonment SHS	Orange	Close Historic Site
Schunnemunk State Park	Orange	Close Park
Stony Point State Historic Site	Orange	Close Historic Site
Tallman Mountain State Park	Rockland	Close Pool

Taconic Region

Donald J. Trump State Park	Westchester	Close Park
FDR (Roosevelt) State Park	Westchester	Reduce Swimming Pool Season
Hudson Highlands State Park	Putnam	Close Arden Point Area
James Baird State Park	Dutchess	Reduce Golf Course Season
Mills Norrie State Park	Dutchess	Reduce Golf Course Season
Olana State Historic Site	Columbia	Close 2 Days per Week
Philipse Manor Hall Historic Site	Westchester	Close Historic Site
Rockefeller State Park Preserve	Westchester	Eliminate Interpretive Programs
Taconic Outdoor Education Center	Putnam	Eliminate Interpretive Programs
Taconic State Park – Rudd Pond	Dutchess	Close Rudd Pond Area
Wonder Lake State Park	Putnam	Close Park

Saratoga-Capital Region

Bennington Battlefield State Park	Rensselaer	Close Historic Site
Hudson River Islands State Park	Rensselaer	Close Park
John Boyd Thacher State Park	Albany	Close Park
John Brown Farm Historic Site	Essex	Close Historic Site
Johnson Hall State Historic Site	Fulton	Close Historic Site
Max V. Shaul State Park	Schoharie	Close Park
Schodack Island State Park	Rensselaer	Close Park
Schoharie Crossing Historic Site	Schoharie	Close Historic Site
Schuyler Mansion Historic Site	Albany	Close Historic Site

Central Region

Chittenango Falls State Park	Madison	Close Park
Clark Reservation State Park	Onondaga	Close Park
Fort Ontario State Historic Site	Oswego	Close Historic Site
Helen McNitt State Park	Madison	Close Park
Herkimer Home Historic Site	Herkimer	Close Historic Site
Hunts Pond State Park	Chenango	Close Park
Oquaga Creek State Park	Broome	Close Park
Old Erie Canal State Park	Onondaga	Close Park
Oriskany Battlefield/Steuben SHS	Oneida	Close Historic Site
Pixley Falls State Park	Oneida	Close Park
Robert Riddell State Park	Delaware	Close Park
Selkirk Shores State Park	Oswego	Close Public Swimming Beach

Finger Lakes Region

Beechwood State Park	Wayne	Close Park
Bonavista State Park	Seneca	Close Park
Chimney Bluffs State Park	Wayne	Close Park
Newtown Battlefield State Park	Chemung	Close Park
Springbrook Greens State Park	Cayuga	Close Park
Two Rivers State Park	Tioga	Close Park
Buttermilk Falls State Park	Tompkins	Close Public Swimming Area
Seneca Lake State Park	Seneca	Close Lake Swimming Beach
Stony Brook State Park	Steuben	Close Public Swimming Area

Thousand Islands Region

Canoe Island State Park	Jefferson	Close Park
Cedar Island State Park	Jefferson	Close Park
Eel Weir State Park	St. Lawrence	Close Park
Keewaydin State Park	Jefferson	Close Park
Macomb Reservation State Park	Clinton	Close Park
Mary Island State Park	Jefferson	Close Park
Point Au Roche State Park	Clinton	Close Park
Sackets Harbor State Historic Site	Jefferson	Close Historic Site

Genesee Region

Hamlin Beach State Park	Monroe	Close Swimming Beach 3 Days per Week
Oak Orchard State Marine Park	Orleans	Close Park
Regionwide	Multiple	Eliminate Camper Recreation Program

Niagara Region

Joseph Davis State Park	Niagara	Close Park
Knox Farm State Park	Erie	Close Park
Niagara Falls State Park	Niagara	Reduce Interpretive Programs
Wilson-Tuscarora State Park	Niagara	Close Park
Woodlawn Beach State Park	Erie	Close Park

Allegany Region

Allegany State Park	Cattaraugus	Close Quaker Area Swim Beach; Close Quaker Cabins Area on December 1st; Eliminate Winter Trails Maintenance; Reduce Recreation Programs
Long Point State Park	Chautauqua	Close Park

Barclay: Closing Fort Ontario Is Not the Answer to Closing the Budget Deficit

Assemblyman Will Barclay (R,C,I—Pulaski) today issued the following statement after learning that, due to reductions to the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historical Preservation (OPRHP) operation budget, 57 State Parks and Historic Sites, including Fort Ontario, have been listed for closure.

“The potential closure of Fort Ontario as part of a cost-saving measure for the state is unacceptable and just another example of Albany’s mismanagement of taxpayer money,” said Barclay. “Rather than make real budget cuts to close the widening gap in the deficit, Albany has instead decided to close an important part of Central New York’s history.”

Through a 21-Day Amendment to the executive budget, OPRHP has proposed an additional $5 million from the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) to help pay for operational costs at selected parks throughout the state. Unfortunately, Fort Ontario is not listed among the selected parks that would be eligible for the funds.

“Because of its historical significance, Fort Ontario is an important educational tool for our community and enhances tourism in Oswego County. I will fight to keep Fort Ontario open and will work to see it included in the $5 million for select state parks,” Barclay concluded.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/oswego/state-plans-to-close-fort-ontario-historic-site/

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