The Town of New Hartford may impose an entrance fee for their parks
By: Jennifer Lee
Updated: June 27, 2012
The next time you plan on having a picnic or taking a walk in the park, you may have to pay a small entry fee.
The Town of New Hartford is considering charging non-residents a fee to enjoy the park.
The Director of Parks and Recreation says they get around five hundred cars between all the three parks in the town.
He says the fee would go towards keeping the park safe and from being over utilized.
"People that may have traveled to state parks or taking an extended vacation are staying home and saving gas I think. We are seeing an increase number in our pavilion rentals. We used to rent about 200 rentals a year but now we've gone up to 300 rentals for the past couple of years," said Michael Jeffery, the Director of Parks and Recreation in the Town of New Hartford.
The town is still in discussions and is looking into the pros and cons of the possible fees.
The three parks that may be affected are Sherrill Brook Park on Route 12, Donovan Park in Chadwicks and Washington Mills Athletic Park in Washington Mills.
