Three parks to get playground upgrades

PHOTOGRAPHER: Justin Mason

State parks in three Capital Region counties will see playground upgrades in the coming year as a result of $335,000 funding through Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s New York Works initiative.

John Boyd Thacher State Park in Albany County, Saratoga Spa State Park in Saratoga County and Schoharie Crossing State Park in Montgomery County will all have improvements made at their respective playground facilities. Each playground will be outfitted with unique themes reflecting characteristics of the park and be coupled with other site improvements relating to aesthetics or access for people with disabilities.

“The numbers tell the story of more and more people visiting the parks, and I encourage everyone to visit these new and improved areas inside the state parks as well as the beauty that New York has to offer,” Cuomo said in a statement Thursday.

In Thatcher Park in New Scotland, the initiative will create a new playground in an underutilized horseshoe pit near a picnic area. The new playground will feature two 80-foot zip lines, cable climbers and climbing boulders.

In the Spa State Park in Saratoga Springs, a new nature-themed playground will be constructed near the Hathorn Pavilion. Plans include play structures that resemble logs, mushrooms and trees.

And at Schoharie Crossing in Fort Hunter, a new playground will be built near the picnic grove. This area will include play structures that mimic canal boats and mules, reflecting the site’s connection to the Erie Canal.

Construction of the playgrounds is expected to occur during the off-season and be completed by next spring. State Parks plans to fix, modernize or create more than 50 playgrounds in parks with high visitation by families.