CHAUMONT, New York (WWNY) – A public park in the Town of Lyme is getting a makeover, thanks to state money aimed at helping shoreline communities rebound from the floods of 2017 and 2019.
The money for the new Veteran’s Memorial Public Park comes from the state’s Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative, or ‘REDI,’ as it’s called.
“This park is just the beginning of many great things for the town of Lyme and it’s really going to be a nice spot for everybody in it,” said Terry Countryman, Town of Lyme Supervisor.
Local and state officials held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the project Wednesday afternoon.
The park will include a new restroom building connected to a walking path which will take visitors down to Sawmill Bay, where a 60 foot aluminum ramp will be installed with an adjacent floating dock and kayak launch attached.
“it will provide shoreline stabilization, additional access to local businesses via a new public dock and a walkway to currently bare waterfront, all of which supports economic growth,” said Bill Johnson, Chairman of the Jefferson County Legislature.
The state under former governor Andrew Cuomo started the REDI program after flooding in 2017 and 2019 slammed waterfront communities.
“It creates a place that will draw new residents to this community,” said Steve Hunt, the Regional Director of Empire State Development, of the park project. “It will draw visitors and hopefully customers to this community.”
Some of the work on the park, which is off Route 12E, is already underway. Officials expect the project to be done by next spring.
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