Petition Signers Fight Keewaydin Closure

ALEXANDRIA BAY - More than 1,000 people signed a petition to keep Keewaydin State Park's 48 campsites and swimming pool open this summer.

A total of 981 signatures, not including those gathered online, were given to Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, at a Friday meeting among the assemblywoman, Kevin A. Kieff, regional director of the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and representatives from the village, town of Alexandira, chamber of commerce and others.

The state office plans to close 41 parks and 14 historic sites and cut services at 23 parks, including Keewaydin, and one historic site this year because of proposed spending cuts.

Mrs. Russell said Friday that lawmakers are looking for alternatives to simply closing Keewaydin and other New York state parks and have discussed possible fee hikes and borrowing money for capital projects to balance the state parks office's budget.

"We are finding ways to bridge this $11 million gap," she said.

Legislators are supposed to adopt a budget this month for the state fiscal year that begins April 1.

In the Thousand Islands park system, Keewaydin, Eel Weir, Mary Island, Canoe-Picnic Point and Cedar Island state parks and the Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site are slated to close this year. Macomb Reservation and Point au Roche state parks in Clinton County also are on the closing list.

Under the office's plan, all parks will remain open for public access but overnight camping will be prohibited. Recreational boaters will have access to permanent docks at the island parks, but additional floating docks will not be installed this summer.

Mr. Kieff said the parks on the list were selected because their seasonal revenue did not even cover seasonal operations and maintenance costs - which does not include cost of capital improvement projects, salaries for year-round employees and other expenses.

He said the regional office could not increase admission or campsite fees to a more competitive price because it was ordered to keep the current rate by Gov. David A. Paterson.

Also, he said, increasing the fees alone would not prevent the closures as more than 60 percent of the state parks annual operational budget comes from state tax dollars.

"State parks does not want to close any parks," he said. "We're responding to a crisis."

The Thousand Islands regional office will receive $485,000 less than it did last year. Also, by closing the seven parks and historical sites, the regional office will lose an additional $150,000 in revenue, Mr. Kieff said.

He said the office decided to close Keewaydin's pool and campsites, leaving only the full-service marina open this summer, because it would save the office about $85,000 this year.

"The pool runs on a deficit of $45,000 a year," he said, adding that closing the campsites is estimated to save the state office $40,000.

Alexandria town Councilman Dale D. Hunneyman argues that cost closing Keewaydin will trickle down to local businesses, municipalities and residents.

"The local economy is going to suffer if the parks are closed. If we have less people visiting us, the sales tax revenues will go down. If sales taxes aren't there, property taxes are going to go up," Mr. Hunneyman said.

According to the state parks office, Keewaydin alone attracts about 48,000 visitors a year, including more than 10,000 campers and 9,500 boats.

Keewaydin's pool is used by hundreds of local children, including about 150 in the Hearts for Youth summer swimming program, every year, Mr. Hunneyman said. The next closest swimming pool is in Clayton, about 11 miles from Alexandria Bay.

James Cummings, village resident and author of local blog Abay Circus, said that more than 230 people signed his online petition in only two weeks and that he will continue to gather more signatures.

To sign the petition online, visit: www.petitiononline.com/abay123/petition.html.