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Lasdon
Park & Arboretum is located adjacent to Muscoot Farm and has potential
to become a specialty park within the Westchester County Parks system. The
facility currently offers programs and showcases for a number of very
diverse civic, environmental and educational groups. A Development Plan
has been prepared for and adopted by the Parks Board, the overall concept
of which is to have the facility function as an arboretum and "Museum
of Nature" or outdoor living museum. The short-term goal is to
preserve the estate character of the park for the public to enjoy where
garden design and plant materials can be studied and celebrated. The
long-range goal is to enhance and expand the gardens as well as to build a
greenhouse production facility that would provide for the floral needs of
all the County’s parks. In this way, the Park would not only attract
people to tour the gardens, but also it would produce plants and flowers
for other parks in the system.
Also planned is the design and construction of a multi-purpose area for nature shows, lectures and concerts. Additional uses of the main building should be considered to generate additional revenues to assist in the continued operation of the facility. Suggestions for re-use include a full service food facility and special events space, meetings spaces for scholarly events or botanical meetings or a botanical library or book shop.
Several improvements, preventative maintenance measures and rehabilitation efforts are recommended in anticipation of the realization of the Parks’ vision. These include:
- The construction of a path or bridge to Muscoot Farm further reinforcing Westchester County Parks’ vision of a continuous interconnected system of parks.
- Upgrade all facilities for ADA compliance. The entrance road will need repaving.
- Upgrade the electric utilities within the site, construct a new roof for the main and pump house buildings and the relocation of the maintenance facilities.
- Construct horticultural production greenhouses, a nursery and a new maintenance building in the newly dedicated 27 acre parcel of parkland located across the road from the main entrance. A building for tree research may be added in the Park if the Arboretum generates interest in that specialty.
Other interested park groups would like to recommended the following policies/improvements for Lasdon Park:
- Increase recognition of park,
- Increase public relations efforts, and
- Increase attendance to the park by offering more children’s and family programs including an instructional resources center.
Mountain
Lakes Park has been selected for a priority preparation of a Master Plan
to determine the policies and vision of the park for the future. This
former summer camp offers a number of summer and winter activities using
its four lakes including boating, canoeing, fishing, cross country skiing,
ice fishing and snow shoeing. The Master Plan would closely examine the
potential to further market these diverse uses. In addition, Mountain
Lakes has a rich history contributing to its archeological and historical
value. The park has been recommended for a biodiversity study to assess
its ecology and to ensure the preservation of its unique habitat. All of
these assets and its change in use and operation contribute to the need to
prepare a Master Plan for the park in order to preserve the natural assets
of the park while continuing to provide a myriad of popular uses for more
active recreation.
As such, there a number of issues that need to be addressed:
- Although a former summer camp with cabins is still located within the park, the children’s summer overnight camp aspect of the park was closed in 1994. The cabins are currently rented by individuals or groups by the day or week. In addition to the cabins, a large dining hall also provides tremendous reuse potential for meetings of large groups. These are assets that should be explored within the recommended Phase II Master Plan and designated for future active use.
- The water supply system is inadequate, antiquated, unsightly and in need of constant maintenance. Since it is on the surface, it must be drained each fall, thus precluding the camp’s possible year-round operation. There is a capital project request involving funding for a study and implementation of a new potable water system for the park. Lightning protection, an additional concern to the park, is also included in the capital program.
The park entrance is not on or close to a major road, and the parks’ remote location in the northeastern corner of the County limits potential visitation. This situation, though, helps to maintain the park’s rustic wilderness character. Such issues would also be addressed in a Master Plan.