If you’re a parent in Clarkstown, chances are that you spend a good deal of your weekends at a
local pool, playground, or on the sideline in a folding chair at the edge of a field in one of our
town parks. These are places where family memories are made. We watch our kids grow, spend
time with each other, and meet new people. These facilities are a vital part of our community,
and I’m extremely proud of all the amazing recreational opportunities we offer. Over the past
several years, the Town Council and I have been investing in expanding and upgrading the
wonderful options we already have, and creating new ones for future generations to enjoy.
The results are visible in nearly every neighborhood. The playground at Congers Lake Memorial
Park was renovated with new surfacing and equipment. New pickleball courts were added, and
the Community Center fitness equipment was updated. Kings Park received all-new basketball
court infrastructure and is soon to receive another playground resurfacing. A new natural-grass
multi-purpose field was constructed just off Pitkin Lane.
In Central Nyack, we built a brand new community garden space that opened this summer, and
renovated the community center and basketball courts. In order to build a brand new playground
and splash pad, the town purchased property directly across from the community center. This
first-ever municipal playground will open in the spring of 2027. In West Nyack, we created an
entire new park and inclusive playground in the heart of the hamlet center.
At Zukor Park in New City, we completely transformed one of our most popular, but dated
playgrounds into a modern and welcoming, all-inclusive play space, giving children of all abilities
a safe environment to play side by side. We also added pickleball courts and created a new
walking path. A brand new turf soccer field was constructed and batting cages for the Little
League. Inside the Street Community Center, we purchased all new fitness equipment for adults
and our seniors to work out and stay healthy.
Just last week, we announced work will commence on a new inclusive and expanded
playground at the upper level of Lake Nanuet. The existing playground will become parking, and
the new play area will be created on the other side of the parking lot. The pool at Lake Nanuet
underwent a full resurfacing in the shallow end to create safer footing for swimmers. The pool
was also repainted and numerous repairs were made to make it safer overall.
All over town, we’ve made major upgrades to our sports fields and installed turf in many of
them. Turf drains far more effectively than natural grass, which means practices and games can
go on after a rainstorm instead of being canceled. Our young athletes get a safer, more
consistent surface to play on. We’ve outfitted multiple pre-existing baseball and softball fields
with turf infields in our parks at Germonds and Lake Nanuet for the little leagues. Also at
Germonds, we constructed a full turf multipurpose field and turf infields on the pre-existing town
baseball/softball fields. All of the town’s basketball courts were upgraded with new backboards,
nets, and resurfacing.
These are investments with a return that can’t be measured on a spreadsheet. Each dollar
spent on a field or playground works for years, serving thousands of families. Children who have
safe, accessible places to play are more active and more connected to their community.
Teenagers with courts and fields to compete on have somewhere positive to be. Parents and
grandparents gain a place to meet, walk, and watch the next generation grow. For families with
limited budgets, a quality town park is often the most affordable recreation available, and every
resident can use it.
Good parks also strengthen the local economy. Tournaments and league play bring visitors to
our restaurants and shops. Well-kept recreation space helps maintain property values and
makes our town more attractive to young families deciding where to settle. A community shows
what it values by what it builds. In Clarkstown, we have chosen to build places for our kids to
swim, play, compete, and belong. I encourage every resident to visit our parks. Spend time with
the kids, say hello to a neighbor, and see what our investments look like in action.
