White Plains CitizeNetReporter - Delfino and Spano Create Waterfront Park for White Plains

WPCNR Afternoon Trib & Post. By John F. Bailey. October 29, 2002 UPDATED 7:30 PM: After a 30-minute circumnavigation "Mayor's Regatta" tour of St. Mary's Lake by rowboat, Mayor Joseph Delfino and County Executive Andy Spano signed a $1 a year, 30-year lease with Westchester County to create a waterfront park on the shores of Silver Lake. It was named "Liberty Park" in honor of the September 11 victims of the World Trade Center attack.

STAR OF THE SHOW: Silver Lake, otherwise known as St. Mary's Lake, being navigated by the "Mayor's Regatta," 12 rowboats supplied by Westchester County, commanded by specially trained White Plains Recreation & Parks personnel, setting sail on a circumnavigation of the lake. Here, we note the flotilla of dignataries and media navigating to the North end of Silver Lake Tuesday afternoon.
Photo by WPCNR News

ADMIRAL ANDY AND CAPTAIN JOE ON SILVER LAKE TUESDAY ASSUMING THE LEAD OF THE SILVER LAKE EXPEDITION. The lake described by our guide, Lonnie Sanders, as approximately 20 feet deep at the deepest point with sandbars on the Harrison side, and deeper shores on the White Plains side with a 75 square foot island at the northern end. The waters were tranquil and reflected autumn glory as Mr. Delfino, Mr. Spano, and Councilpersons Robert Greer, Tom Roach, Rita Malmud, Glen Hockley, and Benjamin Boykin were rowed about the lake for approximately 20 minutes.
Photo by WPCNR NEWS

The park is scheduled to open in the Spring for boating, and is open to the public for walking tours and hiking immediately. A citizen's committee will be formed to discuss and create a preliminary plan for development of the park in the next few weeks, according to Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Arne Abramowitz. He said that environmental courses in the school district would be able to conduct their field trips at the park. He said White Plains would continue with "more landscaping, thinning and clean-up" in the coming weeks. Six to 10 truckloads of wood trail chips were trucked in by the Department of Public Works to prepare the park so far. A "wood-chip trail" has been cut through the first portion of the park North of the former Dellwood Dairy parking lot.

Introducing Liberty Park

During the news conference that followed the cruise, held on the lake's Western White Plains Shore, the Mayor announced his plans to call the park Liberty Park "in honor," he said, "of the victims of the terrible tragedy that occurred in our country on September 11th. This peaceful spot is an appropriate one for reflection but it is also a perfect place for us to celebrate life and nature and to enjoy the company of our family and neighbors --- the very liberties we most cherish in our lives."

COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE MAYOR ADDRESSING DIGNATARIES TUESDAY ON THE NEW "WHITE PLAINS WATERFRONT". Mayor Delfino recalled iceskating on the lake as a boy in White Plains, and dreaming of White Plains someday owning the property. He said "today is my happiest day in 22 years of government." He thanked Andy Spano for spearing the acquisition of the property by Westchester County in 1989. Mr. Spano laughingly said, "I'm glad I made him (Delfino) happy. He's been talking to me for years about it." Spano thank Legislator Bill Ryan for "steering the boat through the (county) legislature." Mr. Spano and Mr. Delfino signed the lease and unvield a sign for "Liberty Park," both shaking hands.
Photo by WPCNR NEWS

The Mayor will be forming a September 11th Memorial Committee to establish a permanent memorial in White Plains in recognition of the White Plains residents who perished at the World Trade Center. According to Delfino,

"The committee will be charged with determining what type of memorial is appropriate, where it should be located, and how we can get the community involved to ensure that the memorial gets built."


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