State Parks Shortening Season

April 9, 2009

The State of New York has announced another cut in the budget that will potentially save thousands of dollars. New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation is shortening the swimming and campground season of all the state parks for the next two years.

None will be entirely shut down, but a few, such as Selkirk Shores in Oswego County, are opening two weeks late with only weekend service. Rob Hiltbrant of the New York State Parks Department said this move is literally saving thousands of dollars in oil, electric, and other maintenance costs, and everybody in New York understands the fiscal crisis the state is currently in.

Mike Costello is from Syracuse and has gone on yearly swimming and camping trips with his family at Selkirk Shores for ten years. "It's a shame that the seasons will be shortened because they get a lot of use from the community," Costello said. He still plans on taking his wife and two daughters to the park when it opens in June, but remains disappointed that they will have to delay their plans by a month. "I still support the governor's decision, though," Costello said. "We'll just make the best we can out of it."