Con Edison Donation to Help Scenic Hudson Create Parks, Hudson River Access in Westchester

WESTCHESTER COUNTY -- Scenic Hudson has received a $45,000 grant from Consolidated Edison Company of New York (Con Edison). The land-preservation and environmental group will use the funding to help create new waterfront parks and enhance public access to the Hudson River in Westchester County. The grant will be paid over three years and will focus on transforming waterfront areas in Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, Yonkers and Peekskill from moribund, post-industrial sites to revitalized riverfronts that draw people to them and help spark economic opportunity.

The Con Edison grant will support Scenic Hudson park designers, land-use planners and community outreach specialists. Community outreach is important for encouraging residents to play an active role in shaping the kinds of parks and Hudson River access that Scenic Hudson will develop. The Poughkeepsie-based group has found that when residents engage in the planning process, the parks that result are enjoyed more.

"This grant is a big boost for connecting the people of Westchester to the Hudson River and all the recreation and learning opportunities it holds. For too long the Hudson and its shoreline have been inaccessible and underutilized," said Ned Sullivan, president of Scenic Hudson. "We're proud to be partnering with public officials, residents and leading organizations like Con Edison to create places where people can experience world-class beauty and recreation in their hometown."

"The Hudson River is one of our region's most valuable recreational and environmentally sensitive assets," said Frances A. Resheske, senior vice president of Public Affairs at Con Edison. "Con Edison's partnership with Scenic Hudson will ensure that additional resources are available for the ongoing stewardship and access to this vital waterway."

Tarrytown

Scenic Hudson's work is supporting the vision of Tarrytown Mayor Drew Fixell and other village leaders to create a stunning public waterfront, beginning with removal of an asphalt plant that had cut off river access for 80 years. The Con Edison grant will help Scenic Hudson to work with the Village of Tarrytown, Westchester County and a private developer to build a new park where the unsightly plant was previously. The public-private partnership will develop the Scenic Hudson RiverWalk Park at Tarrytown – which will become part of the county's RiverWalk – and reconstruct the village's existing Pierson Park. Park construction will begin this year and wrap up in 2009, reconnecting residents with a stretch of the Hudson that has been inaccessible for generations.

The Scenic Hudson RiverWalk Park at Tarrytown will feature a terraced lawn, scenic overlooks, a children's play area, and separate paths for bikes and pedestrians. Plans call for the park to include environmentally sustainable materials and construction techniques, while natural plantings will form a green buffer for the adjacent Ferry Landing development.

Sleepy Hollow

Scenic Hudson has been collaborating with village officials and residents for nearly a decade to create a new vision for the 97-acre former General Motors manufacturing site. With the original developer having withdrawn from the project, the village and GM are seeking a new partner to construct a mix of housing, retail businesses and a waterfront park that would connect with adjacent Kingsland Point Park. The Con Edison funding will help Scenic Hudson continue promoting plans for a park that provides a green, natural area and continuous riverside walkway linking with Kingsland Point Park, DeVries Park and Philipsburg Manor historic site.

Community outreach will be vital to engage the public in this initiative, which includes resident input on renovating the historic bathhouse in Kingsland Point Park. Initial ideas for the bathhouse include an outdoor café and kayak rentals. Ultimately improvements are expected to include a pedestrian bridge over the Metro-North railroad tracks to dramatically improve access to the park and riverfront.

Yonkers

Active in Yonkers waterfront issues for more than 20 years, Scenic Hudson now is working to ensure that adequate parks and open space are included in the redevelopment proposals that encompass much of the city's riverfront. The Con Edison grant will help Scenic Hudson develop its plan for a series of waterfront parks. When compared with other cities in the Northeast, Yonkers has a relatively small amount of parkland, but Scenic Hudson's plan would mean that all downtown residents would be within a quarter mile of a public park on the Hudson River.

Creating many new places in Yonkers where residents can fish, play ball or just relax amid iconic river and Palisades views will provide strong benefits. Having parks within walking distance of populated neighborhoods will help increase physical activity and healthy lifestyles for children and adults of all ages. Scenic Hudson already has been instrumental in highlighting this need with developers and city leaders.

Peekskill

The city and Scenic Hudson jointly own a four-acre riverfront parcel known as Peekskill Landing. The grant from Con Edison will support efforts to create a park with expanded recreational opportunities. The property is undergoing an environmental cleanup of contamination from its prior industrial use. When completed the park will be home to an open lawn, wildlife observation stations, walking paths, a dog run and access to the Hudson.

Earlier support from Con Edison

In 1999 Con Edison supported Scenic Hudson's purchase of land that became Hudson Highlands Gateway Park, 352 acres of forests, wetlands, streams and rock ridges that provide excellent hiking and impressive views. Located in the Town of Cortlandt, the park is one of the largest open parcels in Westchester County. Con Edison has a longstanding commitment to the environment. The company supports organizations that share its concern for preserving and protecting the environment through conservation and beautification projects as well as educational and career-development programs. As part of its support for conservancy, recycling, reclamation efforts and pollution mitigation, Con Edison encourages its customers to be green through tips it provides at www.coned.com/thepowerofgreen.

Scenic Hudson works to protect and restore the Hudson River and its majestic landscape as an irreplaceable national treasure and a vital resource for residents and visitors. A crusader for the valley since 1963, we are credited with saving fabled Storm King Mountain from a destructive industrial project and launching the modern grass-roots environmental movement. Today with more than 10,000 ardent supporters, we are the largest environmental group focused on the Hudson River Valley. Our team of experts combines land acquisition, support for agriculture, citizen-based advocacy and sophisticated planning tools to create environmentally healthy communities, champion smart economic growth, open up riverfronts to the public and preserve the valley's inspiring beauty and natural resources. www.scenichudson.org

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