Supervisor Fleming outlines plans for Nassau’s newest park
NASSAU, N.Y. » At the Nassau Town Board’s first regular meeting of 2022, Nassau Supervisor David Fleming outlined plans for the town’s newest park. Under the preliminary proposal, the Town’s multiple purpose 22-acre parcel, located on US Route 20 between the Village of Nassau and Lyons Lake Road, would be opened to walking trails and recreation. A significant feature of the parcel is a small brook and wetlands.
The Town Board authorized a naming contest for the unnamed brook which may lead to the naming designation for the new town park.
“When I assumed office, I committed to open every possible parcel of Nassau’s public land for public access and recreation. Successive town boards have embraced this effort and for that, I’m deeply grateful,” Fleming said.
“This week, the Nassau Town Board unanimously agreed to my latest proposal to commence plans for the last major parcel development which is in the southern end of town and the one area that there is no public land access,” Fleming continued.
Through partnerships, the work of other nonprofits, and community volunteers, Nassau has gone from no public preserves and open public land to six public preserves that provide access to diverse natural beauty across the town. These preserves have become popular destinations in the area and have helped draw daytrippers to Nassau.
“By embracing the natural beauty of our community as an economic benefit to our taxpayers, we are seeing positive results from visitors. Whether they are stopping at one of our local restaurants or an antique store or filling up their tank with gas and grabbing snacks, they are spending money locally to visit these locations,” Fleming remarked.
“The financial benefit to the community has been obvious but so too has the lasting impacts of these new preserves. Our taxpayers will now have access to all the land they own and the ability to enjoy the different topography and types of forests from Nassau’s portion of the Rensselaer Plateau to the flat lands with powerful creek and wetland systems. They will have this access forever and that is an important legacy to leave our next generation as we witness development pressure from across the Capital Region,” Fleming added.
With this new park under development, Nassau will now have more than 650 acres of public acres of varying terrain to explore. All the parcels have been developed with volunteer assistance, grants, and donations.
The next step in the development process, according to the Nassau Town Board, is to engage residents of all ages to participate in the brook naming contest for this new park. The focal point of the proposed area is a now nameless brook that runs through the 22-acre parcel. Local students and families are being asked to participate in this contest. The Board is looking to designate a name that focuses on Nassau’s local history or natural resources.
The Board has also suggested names that recognize the indigenous peoples of the area to local heroes of the Civil War and the Anti-Rent War.
Submissions are encouraged to supervisor@townofnassau.org. According to Fleming, the town is expecting to make a selection for the name of the brook and possibly the new park, at their March 10, 2022 meeting.