Millerton recreation: Tentative designs for Eddie Collins Memorial Park upgrade are on the table

MILLERTON — Whether  passing through Millerton or living there, many know Eddie Collins Memorial Park as the place for recreation.

As members of the Eddie Collins Memorial Park Revitalization Committee, Stephen Waite and Jeanne Vanecko presented tentative plans for the park’s re-imagining to the Village Board on Tuesday, Feb. 19.

Located on North Elm Avenue in Millerton, Eddie Collins Memorial Park was originally used as a turntable for trains, a ball field and a horse racing track. In 1916, the village was left a sum of $15,000 by William G. Denney for “the benefit of the young people,” and by 1963, a committee was formed to name the ball field after former resident and Major League Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Eddie Collins.

At the time, to help with  field improvements, the committee sought donations from local residents and business owners while Isaac Deuel, an engineer and the village mayor from 1945 to 1957, was hired to design a memorial arch for the field. By September, 1964, the arch was unveiled and the ball field was dedicated in memory of Collins in a ceremony that welcomed Collins’ wife, son and 2,000 spectators.

Since then, the park has seen several additions, including the now defunct Denney Pool; a basketball court; a separate, smaller ball field; a handicapped accessible playground; and a skateboard park. Previously recognized as the recreation center for the village and the town, the park has also hosted community programs and activities from youth baseball and summer day camp to the Harlem Valley Rail Ride and fire company carnival. 

During the summer of 2016, the committee conducted a recreation survey to determine the types of programs, improvements, upgrades and amenities the community would like see at the park. Following the results of the survey, committee members concluded that the village and town should develop a short-term and long-term strategy for sustaining a viable recreation program for residents of all ages. After focusing on park improvements and maintenance, the committee’s strategy would shift toward hiring a full-time recreation director.

As far as how the project will be carried out, Waite and Vanecko explained the committee ultimately decided to complete the project in four phases. The first phase would include developing a new 120-space asphalt parking lot; installing a new swimming pool; removing the existing basketball court and associated components and installing two new courts adjacent to the current Little League filed; resurfacing the existing playground; and creating a new entrance way for the park that will be accessible for larger vehicles. 

Waite pointed out that the committee decided to preserve the park pavilion and bathhouse since the pavilion is still in good shape and in a good location. A new bathhouse will be installed to meet the capacity requirements of the new pool while the current bathhouse facility will be renovated to create seasonal storage space.

The second phase would include installing a new synthetic turf soccer field and a climbing tower. Waite said installing a synthetic turf soccer field would provide more flexibility for people playing on it and allow for more sports to be played. 

The third phase would include installing a new synthetic turf and beam clay Little League field. Mayor Debbie Middlebrook asked if the village would have to contract a company to handle the synthetic turf’s maintenance, to which Waite replied, “Where I think we’re at right now, we’re still trying to figure it out.”

As the final phase in the plan, Waite said the committee would like to see a new community center building added to be used by sports teams and community members alike.

“We want to include all different populations to use the park,” Vanecko said.

With each phase of the park’s revitalization, Vanecko said the committee plans to raise money not only for the construction elements, but also to establish a 10-year maintenance fund for the park.

“When this gets built, we want to make sure it has a future and is protected,” she said.

Toward the end of the presentation, Vanecko said, “We feel that we need your explicit approval with this concept before we get public with this. This is not a 100 percent resolved plan but it’s pretty close.”

She added that the committee doesn’t plan to present to the town of North East until it hears back from the village.

“This is what we’re proposing, and I think it’s a good plan,” Waite said.

“I think it’s a good plan with all the work that’s been put in,” Middlebrook replied. “You know how I feel: kids need recreation — kids need a place to go.”