GREENE – Many improvements were made to Chenango County’s Cook Park in Greene this summer and both revenues and seasonal reservations were up, according to the buildings and grounds department.
“A lot of campers from outside the state were there, for two weeks at a time, visiting relatives here,” said campground manager Douglas Crowley.
Chenango County Youth Bureau Director Cathy Clemens, who was assigned to coordinate the $16,500 facelift, said she hoped to have a swingset and other playground items either donated or purchased and a brochure completed in order to finish the project. The project was approved by the Board of Supervisors in June following years of debate about the 116-acre campground’s viability.
Final numbers aren’t in for the year because the park is open until Oct. 5. However, it has not been profitable since it was gifted to the county in 1957. Taxpayers are levied approximately $15,000 per year to keep the property running and staffed.
Fifteen youth volunteers from a summer youth employment group affiliated with Headwaters Youth Conservation Corps and The Place in Norwich did the work under the supervision of two adults. Among other projects, the youths replaced worn bridges; built stone walls; cleared trails, the boat launch and a picnic area; planted hardwoods and flowers; and erected directional signs.
Clemens consulted with the Soil & Water Conservation District for assistance in removing a beaver dam and beavers, maintaining trees for the dam bank and clearing out overflow channels for the 22-acre fishing and recreational pond. Buildings and grounds employees cleared and installed new culverts; excavated areas adjacent to the boat launch and bridges; removed trees and overgrowth; updated the electrical systems in the campers pavilion; installed lights in the day use pavilion; and replaced rotted floor boards on the maintenance building porch.
A new Cook Park web page was registered with Google on multiple recreational and camping websites.
Clemens said failed attempts were made to unclog a drainage pipe in the pond to help disperse the overflow.
“We have secondary spill areas, but resulting weeds are a problem,” she said.
Members of the Agriculture, Buildings and Grounds Committee discussed alternative drainage solutions and methods for clearing the pipe. They also discussed a forestry management plan for the park as well as the legality of leasing it for natural gas drilling in the future.
Seasonal camp sites are $700 per year, nightly camp sites are $16, day passes are $3 per car and there is a pavilion rental fee of $40.