Recreation, safety

Swim Safely This Summer

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The days are getting longer, and it won’t be long before the swim season is here! 2024 kicked off with the exciting announcement of NY SWIMS: the largest investment in public swimming in nearly a century.

This multifaceted program seeks to provide all New Yorkers with access to safe swimming opportunities, particularly in underserved and heat-prone communities. It calls for new or revitalized swim areas at Sojourner Truth, the East Bathhouse at Jones Beach, and Lake Sebago at Harriman State Park. It expands our existing learn-to-swim program, supports lifeguard recruitment and retention, provides transportation to people who can’t otherwise access swimming, and includes grant funding for communities to build or renovate swimming facilities.

The NY SWIMS program also has a serious goal: to reduce childhood drowning. On average, 11 people drown every day in the United States during the summer. Drowning is the leading cause of death among children aged one to four years old in the United States, and the second-leading cause of death for children aged 5 to 14. Children with autism are 160 percent more likely to die from drowning. Other medical conditions also increase drowning risk. As you begin to plan your summertime swimming adventures, here are some tips to keep it safe.

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2024 Centennial Celebration, Park History, State History

Celebrating 100 Years of NY State Parks and Historic Sites 

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Happy birthday to us! The New York State parks and historic sites system is now 100 years old, and we celebrated our founding and lit up almost two dozen landmarks around the state in Parks green and Centennial gold to mark the day last week.

Although several of our parks and historic sites have existed for more than 100 years—Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site and Niagara Falls State Park, for example—it was on April 18, 1924, that the State Council of Parks (SCOP) was formed, creating our modern parks system.

A Centennial birthday cake at the newly opened Robert H. Treman exhibit reception in Ithaca.

Established by Governor Alfred E. Smith and the New York State Legislature in 1924, SCOP and subsequent voter support for a $15 million Bond Act placed the future of many of New York’s public lands in our hands. Alongside great partners, staff at our agency have served as stewards since then, preserving New York’s most treasured lands and historically significant places. Today our system spans over 250 properties in every part of the state, improving the lives of millions of New Yorkers and connecting communities to the outdoors.

Learn more about the history of NY State Parks and Historic Sites with our interactive timeline, “Blazing a Trail.”

Missed our birthday? No problem. We created a video recap documenting the events of the day. You can find this video, along with other Centennial content, on our YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe if you haven’t already, as we’ll be adding even more announcement videos into this digital goody bag as the year goes on!

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Park Personnel

New Class Steadily Builds Park Police Team

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A couple of days before a certain round celestial body passed in front of another certain round celestial body, the New York State Park Police added a nice “round” number – 20 new graduates – to its ranks. Some of these new officers were put right to work – sent to the path of eclipse totality to help with an influx of visitation. Nearly one million people visited New York’s state parks and historic sites between April 6 and 9 to witness the eclipse.

After the eclipse, the new officers will spend the next couple of months in field training. They are assigned regionally to learn and prepare to serve State Parks’ 250 properties. Last year, our agency saw record attendance of 84 million, so the need for personnel has not slowed. The new officers will receive supervised training from senior officers, followed by assignment to patrol responsibilities.

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2024 Centennial Celebration, Cool Science, Family Fun

Total Eclipse Of The Parks

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On April 8, New York State Parks and Historic Sites welcomed people from around the world to share a once-in-a-generation total solar eclipse. Thousands of people enjoyed a rich, memorable experience thanks to the hard work of our staff over a two-year period.

Public Information Officer Angela Berti of the Niagara Region led this effort on behalf of State Parks and represented our agency on the statewide Eclipse Task Force.

Our Park Police used their expertise in peacefully managing large crowds to keep our visitors safe. Countless staff worked behind the scenes and on the front lines to open selected campgrounds for the occasion, plan educational programming, get the word out to the public, make sure our parks were in top condition, and ensure the safety of our visitors.

As Chief of Staff and Commissioner Pro Tempore, I am filled with pride and gratitude for all the hard work of our staff in preparing for this remarkable event. Enjoy reliving the day with photos from around our parks and sites!

Dressed for the occasion at Crown Point State Historic Site (first two) and Niagara Falls State Park for all images following.
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2024 Centennial Celebration, Park Personnel, Recreation, Share Your Story

Share Your Story: Conrad Baker on the Autism Nature Trail at Letchworth

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With its spectacular scenery, Letchworth State Park is one of the most beloved parks in our system. But a crucial part of its story is the power of thinking differently.

Letchworth State Park.

William Pryor Letchworth, the park’s namesake, was deeply interested in epilepsy, traveling the country and the world in the late 1800s to study how it was treated. It’s not unreasonable to imagine that Letchworth would be proud to know that the park bearing his name is now home to a first-of-its-kind nature trail designed to meet the needs of people with an often misunderstood and stigmatized condition: autism.

Watch environmental educator, Conrad Baker, make connections between William Pryor Letchworth’s legacy and the Autism Nature Trail.
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The official blog for the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation