Fahnestock - Open Space Institute

The delights of
Canopus Lake
contrast with the
visitor facilities.
The Campaign to Revitalize
Canopus Lake Beach
at Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park
Detail from
planned courtyard
and bathhouse
renovations.
OSI:
From Landscape
Conservationists to
Committed Stewards
of Public Lands
For decades the Open Space Institute
(OSI) has recognized New York’s
Hudson Highlands as a priority landscape. Through multiple, large scale
land acquisitions OSI has helped to
build and protect Fahnestock State
Park, its drinking watersheds and a
metropolitan greenbelt.
Today, spurred by its mission of public
lands stewardship, OSI is leading the
effort to make critically needed repairs
and improvements to Fahnestock State
Park. Through its new initiative, the
Alliance for New York State Parks,
OSI is responding to the evolving
needs of New York’s natural resource
conservation priorities. To learn more,
visit www.osiny.org.
Friends of Fahnestock and
Hudson Highlands State
Parks at Work
Friends of Fahnestock and Hudson
Highlands State Parks (FOFHH)
supports the stewardship of these two
parks' natural and historic resources,
as well as educational and recreational
opportunities for the public.
In addition to partnering with the
Alliance on the Canopus Beach Project,
FOFHH has completed a number of
capital improvements in Fahnestock
and invested in equipment for the
Fahnestock Winter Park. To learn more,
visit www.fofhh.org.
Investing in New York’s
State Parks
New York’s system of state parks and
historic sites is an unmatched legacy–
a treasure of extraordinary opportunities
for outdoor recreation, a steward of
priceless landscapes and cultural resources
and a driver of our tourism economy.
The Alliance for New York State Parks,
a program of the Open Space Institute, is
committed to the restoration, maintenance
and support of New York’s 213 state parks
and historic sites.
A primary goal of the Alliance is
building stronger public-private
partnerships as we look to revitalize the
state’s aging park system. As part of
that effort, the Alliance is spearheading
capital campaigns at parks and sites
throughout the state.
To learn more or to make
a contribution, visit:
www.allnysparks.org
A Park for All Seasons
A summer day at
Canopus Lake Beach.
Less than an hour from New York City in the Hudson Valley,
Fahnestock State Park offers more than 14,000 acres of protected forests, lakes and streams. Noted for its wide array of
biking, hiking and equestrian trails–including the Appalachian
Trail–the park is a tremendous destination for families, avid
explorers and anyone who appreciates scenic views and natural
settings.
The park’s original 2,400 acres were donated in 1929 by
Dr. Ernest Fahnestock as a memorial to his brother Clarence.
Today the popular park welcomes more than 245,000 hikers,
swimmers, campers, bikers, birdwatchers, anglers, skiers and
snowshoers each year.
Friends of
Fahnestock and
Hudson Highlands
State Parks
But like so many of New York’s state parks, Fahnestock’s
deteriorating and outdated comfort stations and recreational
facilities are diminishing this wonderful destination.
2 91 h u d s o n av e .
a l b a n y NY 1 2 2 1 0
a lln ys pa r k s .o rg
51 8 4 2 7-1 5 6 4
Updated amenities, improved
design and a more natural vision
will enhance Canopus Lake.
The Canopus Lake transformation will update key park
amenities and create a more inviting natural beach setting.
It will also introduce sustainable elements to the complex,
rejuvenate buildings to better suit visitor needs and add new
recreational opportunities for park-goers.
Amenities Appropriate
To Stunning Park Setting
Without question, Fahnestock State Park
is a special place. But it is also in dire
need of repair and rehabilitation. Facilities are cramped and severely outdated.
The number of functioning restrooms
is insufficient to keep up with public
demand and available changing space
A New Life for
Tired Visitor Facilities
The entire beach and winter park complex
need to be restored and updated.
Cost: $1.05 million
Improve and update rundown restroom and changing
facilities
Expand and remodel
cramped café space and ski
and snowshoe rental areas
2
Improve efficiency with
updated plumbing, ventilation,
water, heating and electrical
systems
is inadequate to meet the needs of both
swimmers in the summer and crosscountry skiers in the winter.
Naturalize the
Swimming Beach
Further, the swimming area has been
severely diminished by submerged
vegetation and sediment. Sustainable
beach redesign and rehabilitated visitor
facilities will create updated, more
useable space for patrons–year-round.
2
Cost: $1.65 million
Improve swimming conditions
by clearing submerged
vegetation and sediment
Enhance recreational
opportunities by adding new
picnic areas, playground
and fishing pier
1
Expand use of native plants
and improve the lakefront
setting through redesigned
landscaping
Caption needed here.
The existing park bathhouse
detracts from the visitor experience.
1
3
Redesign Parking,
Courtyard and
Athletic Field
3
Cost: $1.77 million
Redesign parking
and traffic areas to improve
efficiency and visitor
convenience
Add new athletic field in
underutilized area
Install permeable pavers to
enhance water quality and
reduce erosion
Among the
Opportunities for
Project Sponsorship
Ball field
$100,000
ADA compliant fishing pier
$15,000
Playground
$100,000
Pavilion
$150,000
Volleyball area
$5,000
Picnic tables
$12,000
Native plantings by beach
$30,000
Solar water systems
$29,000
Planters and benches
$20,000