A redesigned Memorial Park proposed by the Nyack Parks Conservancy will relocate the gazebo and basketball courts while adding a new children’s garden and a new fishing pier. 
The plan, created by and created by renowned landscape firm Quenell/Rothschild, elevates and moves the gazebo for better views of the river and increased green space for play and picnicking. It’s new location, closer to the waterfront, will allow it to continue to be a focal point for musical performances and other stage like activities. The gazebo will be located to the northwest of the existing Butterfly Garden and a soon to be created Childrens’ Garden that will be a part of both the Nyack Center and the Nyack Park Conservancy’s programming.
Other changes include:
- A fishing pier, jutting out into the Hudson at the south end of the park, will be added.
- A footbridge is planned to connect Memorial Park with the Nyack marina.
- The basketball court will move from its current location to the northeast corner of the park. NY State will partially fund new courts constructed from environmentally friendly materials, as runoff from the macadam surface of the existing court are bad for the health of the Hudson.
- A new path will circle the perimeter of the park encompassing the upper and lower park areas. All will be handicapped accessible.
Upon construction of the footbridge, most parking will take place on the Marina side of the park. By redrawing existing lines, seventeen additional spaces will be added. There will continue to be places for people to park on the Marina side to view the river. On the park side, limited parking and parking for the disabled will be maintained.
A food concession or cart and movable tables and chairs adjacent to the waterfront are also being considered. Licensing a vendor to operate a temporary structure for a seasonal ice skating rink for the ball field in the winter is also a probability. The Marina will maintain slips for motor boating but will also include places for people to rent kayaks, canoes and bicycles. There is a plan in the works to convert an existing adjacent building into a working boathouse for skull rowing.
“The whole goal in coming up with a true Master Plan for our waterfront was to make it a healthier place, richer in activities that draw people to the water, with more open space, more gardens and plenty of places for our entire community to have fun,” says said Jen White, one of the founders of the Nyack Park Conservancy. “I think this plan has something for everyone.”
About $2 million of the estimated $8 million required to rennovate the park and waterfront will go towards repairing the Nyack Marina. Funding for the effort will come from grants, state funds and private donations.
The Village Board is set to review the plans with the Nyack Village Park Commission sometime in the next few weeks and a final public meeting will be held in early fall.
Sources: Nyack Park Conservancy, Friends Of The Nyacks
Photo Credit: NyackDailySnapshot.com
