AWAITING VISITORS
Trails to river and scenic overlooks could open to public this year on land in Kingston and Ulster that’s slated to become state park
New trails to the Hudson River and overlooks atop cliffs are some of the attractions that could open this year on the property slated to become Hudson Cliffs State Park in the city of Kingston and town of Ulster, the environmental group Scenic Hudson said Friday.
While those features are being created, much of the property along the Hudson River will be an active construction zone and closed to the public to ensure safety, Scenic Hudson said in a press release. The Hudson River Brickyard Trail, created by the city as part of the Kingston Greenline and the Empire State Trail on the property, is to remain open, but visitors are urged to stay on the path and exercise caution.
Ultimately, the entire 520acre parcel is to be transferred to the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Places and the Palisades Interstate Park Commission. Scenic Hudson protected the future parkland in 2019 and would continue to play a key role in park planning, management and programming once the property is transferred to the state, the Poughkeepsie-based organization said.
It was not immediately clear how that transfer will be accomplished.
The creation of the park was to be included in a $3 billion “Restore Mother Nature” bond
act proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, but a planned November 2020 ballot proposition on the bond was pulled amid uncertainty about the financial impact on New York state of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bond act called for New York to acquire 508 acres from Scenic Hudson Land Trust affiliate Quarry Waters LLC and turn the land into a state park.
Quarry Waters bought the land in late 2019 from AVR Acquisition Corp. of Yonkers, which at one time planned to build a large housing development on part of the site.
The amount Quarry Waters paid was not disclosed,
but the land had an assessed value of about $5 million at the time of the sale.
Scenic Hudson said it has been gathering input through virtual meetings and an online survey that has drawn more than 1,400 responses. That input will be used to help plan for the park’s future, the organization said. It also said are residents are encouraged to continue sharing their perspectives on the park’s future potential at the website hudsoncliffsparkinfo.org.
Comments so far have included recreation, access to the Hudson River, connecting with nature, and exploring local history among the desired elements of the park, Scenic Hudson said. It said community members also have stressed the importance of interpretive features
about the land and its use, beginning with indigenous people who lived along the river and including information about brickmaking, cement manufacturing and ice harvesting that occurred there.
Scenic Hudson recommends keeping many industrial structures, including a chimney and mule barn dating to the brickmaking period, as well as many low-rise remnants from the cement industry that can be integrated into the landscape. Scenic Hudson said it did remove cement storage silos on the site due to safety, liability and maintenance concerns.
The park also is expected to attract visitors to the area, helping the region’s tourism industry, as well as provide ecological benefits, according to Scenic Hudson.