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Recreation Commission moves ahead on planning Wassaic Park improvements

AMENIA — Following a meeting that included state officials on Thursday, Nov. 9, the Amenia Recreation Commission has charted a way forward for making improvements to Wassaic Park.

Recreation Commission Chairman Paul Winters described the outcome of a meeting that included Jane Didona, landscape architect from Didona Associates of New Fairfield, Connecticut, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and representatives of the Wassaic Project.

As reported by Winters, the Recreation Commission will move ahead with creating a trout fishing destination, which is seen as the next step in improving Wassaic Park by annexing DEC land to park land.  A new playground area is also being planned.

Winters noted that the next New York State Parks grant application deadline comes up in July 2024. The Recreation Commission plans to combine the Wassaic Park plan with the Amenia Green enhancement plan to make one application.

In the coming months, the commission will determine the legal requirements for establishing a public/private partnership.

Important to the process will be a public forum, anticipated to be held in January 2024, inviting residents to learn about the plans and to offer comments. After the public forum, the plans will be presented to the Amenia Town Board.

Leila Hawken

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