Storm and road damage from Hurricane Irene will alter many plans for the long Labor Day weekend but many attractions remain open, including the Fonda and Schaghticoke fairs. Some state parks and campgrounds remain closed, especially in flood-ravaged Schoharie County and the eastern Adirondacks.
Closer to home, Collins Park in Scotia, including Collins Beach and the Kiddie Park, are all closed indefinitely because of severe flood damage, Mayor Kris Kastberg said Thursday.
But most of the parks in the Capital Region including Saratoga Spa State Park and John Boyd Thacher Park, are open for business.
Upcoming is the final weekend of thoroughbred horse racing at the Saratoga Race Course. The historic track on Union Avenue canceled a day of racing but was not damaged.
Commissioner Joan McDonald of the state Department of Transportation said in a statement, “The effects of Tropical Storm Irene are still being felt throughout eastern New York, making it all the more important for travelers this weekend to plan their routes carefully and obey signs and barriers banning access to hazardous bridges and highways.”
The latest road closures and travel condition information from the DOT can be found by dialing 511 or visiting www.511ny.org.
Show, festival off
Some events have been canceled. For example, the 6th annual Rotary Car Show planned for Monday, Labor Day, at the Mabee Farm Historic Site on Route 5S in Rotterdam Junction is off because of damage to roads nearby. The show won’t be held this year, organizers said Thursday.
The 30th Annual Festival of Iroquois Arts has also been postponed as Schoharie County recovers. The festival had been scheduled for this weekend at the Iroquois Indian Museum in Howes Cave. The museum, officials said, was not damaged and hopes to reschedule the festival this fall.
Lake George Village suffered flooding damage but is cleaned up and open for Labor Day weekend business, said Mayor Robert Blais. Shepard Park Beach is open as are The Great Escape amusement park and indoor water park near Lake George.
“People should find no inconvenience,” Blais said about Lake George. The village lost three of its six docks on Lake George during the storm but three remain operational.
Moreau Lake State Park in northern Saratoga County is open as is Grafton Lake State Park in Rensselaer County. The swimming beach at Thompson’s Lake in Albany County is closed but the campground is open, said Daniel Keefe, a spokesman for the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
Thacher Park in Albany County is open but some trails are closed, he said. Peebles Island State Park is open but access to trails is limited. “People should call ahead to make sure that everything they plan to do is available,” Keefe said.
Schoharie Crossing State Park is closed as is Guy Park State Historic Site in Amsterdam because of structural damage caused by flooding. Mine Kill State Park and Max V. Shaul State Park, both in Schoharie County, are closed.
The Johnson Hall State Historic Site in Johnstown in Fulton County is open. For more information on the availability of state parks and historic sites see www.nysparks.com.
Adirondacks hit
Some state campgrounds in the Adirondacks are closed as are some wilderness trails. The campgrounds closed include AuSable Point, Paradox Lake, Putnam Pond, Little Sand Point, Point Comfort, Poplar Point and Lake Durant.
“Hurricane Irene has created dangerous conditions across most of the eastern Adirondacks including flooding, bridge washouts, trail washouts and blowdown of trees and other debris,” says a statement from the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Visit the DEC website at www.dec.ny.gov for a full listing of the status of trails and campgrounds.
Even though it wasn’t planned until next weekend, the annual Tugboat Roundup in Waterford scheduled for Sept. 9-11 at the Waterford Harbor on the Erie Canal has been canceled, according to the state Canal Corp.
High waters and flood damage have hampered navigation along the New York State Canal system. The Hudson River also has high waters.
The Erie Canal remains closed to navigation between Lock 2 in Waterford, Saratoga County, and Lock 19 in Frankfort, Herkimer County. The Champlain Canal remains closed for its entire length. No date has been established for reopening. For updates and information call 1-800-4CANAL4 or visit www.canals.ny.gov.
Most banks and government offices will be closed Monday in observance of Labor Day. Most shopping malls remain open on Monday.
Categories: Schenectady County
