Community helps break ground for long-awaited Phase One of Millerton Community Park

MILLERTON — Together with the leaders, volunteers and supporters who have rallied behind the park’s revitalization for the last five years, the Millerton community launched Phase One of the temporarily renamed Millerton Community Park at Eddie Collins Memorial Park with a groundbreaking celebration on Saturday, Aug. 28.

Beginning at 3:30 p.m., the park, located at 5991-5999 North Elm Ave. (Route 22) in Millerton, was brimming with a sense of camaraderie and community between the spectacular turnout of more than 100 celebrants and the festivities. Popcorn was popped and ice cream was scooped as a thank you to those who attended. 

Bee Bee the Clown was up to her usual tricks as she sculpted balloon animals for the children, while the band The Joint Chiefs provided the soundtrack for a lively afternoon before rain fell later that day. 

An enlarged masterplan of the roughly $7 million Millerton Community Park project and its four phases was propped up on display for observation, and Millerton Community Park Committee Vice Chair Jeanne Vanecko and Treasurer Edie Greenwood were more than happy to enlighten guests about the vision behind the revitalization and to hand out navy blue ball caps bearing the park’s name and entryway arch as souvenirs from the day.

Welcoming everyone to the milestone celebration, Millerton Mayor Jennifer Najdek declared, “This is a day some of us have been dreaming of and planning for a very long time.”

Telling the story of the park and its amenities through the lens of her own days there, Najdek shared memories of lifeguarding and swimming at the now-gone Denney Pool and enjoying the different amenities at the park and how it has changed over the years.

“To say this park has been a part of my life would be an understatement,” said the lifelong resident as she thanked everyone for supporting the project.

Naming the many upgrades that will be made at the park by next year, Najdek highlighted the two full-size basketball courts and the upgraded handicapped accessible playground, parking lot and pool, all of which eliciting a hearty whoop from the crowd — especially at the mention of the word “pool.”

Thanking the leaders, residents, businesses and organizations past and present that have supported the project, Millerton Community Park Project Committee Chair Stephen Waite remarked, “It’s taken five hardworking years to get to this point, this milestone, this new beginning… It’s time to renovate this special place and make it exceptional. We’re off to a great start — let the transformation begin.”

Sharing the park’s storied history, Columbia School of the Arts professor and Millerton resident Alice Quinn shared the words of poet Walt Whitman as a tribute and read aloud a poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar, while North East Historical Society President Ed Downey spoke of the park’s evolution in the last century.

“The town could not be more enthusiastic and supportive of this resource for our community,” said North East town Supervisor Chris Kennan. “This is a community project for this community and the town is going to stand by the village in getting this done.”

The celebration welcomed words of encouragement from other lawmakers, including Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro. The county exec announced that, with support from Chair of the County Legislature Gregg Pulver (R-19), also present, and the entire Legislature, the Dutchess County Municipal Innovation Grant program awarded an additional $328,000 to the park as well as an additional $250,000 for the construction of the joint village/town highway garage.

As the speeches started wrapping up, the skies opened up for a light August rain shower, though no amount of rain could dampen the joy in having reached this milestone for the treasured community park. With help from a flock of children bearing shovels, leaders and volunteers gathered in the park to officially break ground for Phase One.

For more information, go to www.millertonpark.org, and make sure to catch up on past articles at www.tricornernews.com.

The local leaders and volunteers who spent the past five years planning for the $7 million update to Eddie Collins Park, temporarily renamed Millerton Community Park, got some assistance at Saturday’s groundbreaking from local children for Phase One of the massive project. Photo by Jonathan Doster

Millerton Mayor Jenn Najdek addressed the crowd at the groundbreaking for the Millerton Community Park. Najdek shared her lifelong connection to the the local park, from swimming and lifeguarding at the pool to running the camp. Photo by Jonathan Doster

The local leaders and volunteers who spent the past five years planning for the $7 million update to Eddie Collins Park, temporarily renamed Millerton Community Park, got some assistance at Saturday’s groundbreaking from local children for Phase One of the massive project. Photo by Jonathan Doster